Statement of Purpose
I aspire to build up my career as a professor and contribute research works in the field of Physics. It all
started whenI was a kid. I used to sit with a marker at my customised whiteboard table and pretend that
there was an invisible class of students sitting in front of me. That little childhood play planted the idea of
me becoming a teacher back in 2007. Being raised in an environment where I heard about research from
my father even before I could grasp what it was, I always loved exploring and learning new things.
However, my resilience and determination were built through persistent hard work, self-study, and a deep
understanding of my study materials. Now, I believe the step towards my dream becoming a reality starts
with pursuing a PhD. However, to gain deeper expertise in a specific area, one needs specialisation.
Moreover, teachers have a pivotal role to play in the enlightenment of the students, the dissemination of
new knowledge, as well as in the development of bright minds to continue the innovation and
advancement. For this purpose, I am really excited about the privilege of pursuing a PhD at Kent State
University in the Physics program that is uniquely situated to help me reach my goals.
When I first studied physics in Class 9, I came across the basics of motion, rest, and simple mathematical
problems of mechanics. Solving those real-life problems using the basic laws of Newtonian Mechanics
gave me the realisation that how the world around us can be explained by abstract equations! At the same
time, a glimpse into radioactive isotopes left me awestruck by how fascinating the development of
science could be. From then on, a deep allure grew within me to dive into the research sector. What
fascinated me most was the field’s capacity to create transformative impacts on technology and society.
Even at that early age, I had a strong desire to pursue a PhD in Physics. Later, during my higher
secondary education, topics such as intermolecular forces and the structural properties of matter made me
even more interested in exploring the depth of physics and the fundamental laws and principles that
constitute matter. My interest and fortune aligned further when I was admitted to the Physics Department
of a renowned public university in Bangladesh named Jagannath University, which is recognized as one
of the best public universities in the capital city of the country.
As my academic journey in physics progressed, I found myself genuinely enjoying the foundational
courses that introduced me to the core principles of the discipline. My interest kept on increasing with
every undergraduate semester as I studied new and varied courses with each one of them showing me a
new aspect of physics. Mentionable courses like Nuclear and Particle Physics, Solid State Physics,
Reactor Physics, Computational Physics, Materials Science, Electronics and so on. Moreover, securing
the first position in several semester examinations consistently motivated me to study more rigorously
and refine my understanding of the subject. This long-term commitment to academic work eventually
helped me graduate in the first position in the Physics Department, a testament which reflects both my
commitment to learning and my passion for physics.
In the second year of my undergraduate studies, I found out about The Red-Green Research Centre
(RGRC), Bangladesh, a research-focused training facility founded by Dr. Mohammad Halim of
Kennesaw State University in Georgia, USA, that offers interdisciplinary scientific and computational
research skill development. My interest in learning research methodology made me enroll in a course on
Computational Peptide and Drug Design offered by RGRC. I gained knowledge of Density Functional
Theory (DFT), computational chemistry, and quantum calculations of biomolecules, which helped me
comprehend the relevance and uses of quantum mechanics outside of physics. Moreover, I developed
hands-on experience on softwares related to Molecular Docking, virtual screening, Drug-Protein
Interaction, Peptide-Protein Interaction, Protein Target Selection, Non-bonding Interaction, Drug-Protein
and Peptide-Protein Molecular Dynamics, Interpretation and processing of computational data. I have
done Quantum Computation of the drug Pyrazinamide and performed Geometry optimisation, Vibrational
frequency, and molecular orbital calculations in the gas phase. I have performed the Molecular Docking
of Luliconazole and performed optimisation in gas phase using PM3 level of theory.
I completed my thesis work under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Md. Nure Alam Abdullah during my
Master's Program in Jagannath University. The research work always kept me motivated to learn and
explore new things. I was always curious in my research as I was seeking to understand the potential
outcomes of each investigative step. I have worked to establish a self-consistent set of optical model
potential parameters that accurately describe the a-N interaction without any renormalisation factor.
Along with it, my research work included obtaining a comprehensive potential description of a+¹ ⁹⁷Au
elastic scattering to interpret the behaviour of target materials so that it could be used to improve
predictions for neutron capture or alpha-capture reactions. All the parameters in the potential set were
obtained after running the code multiple times until an excellent agreement between the experimental
angular distributions and the theoretical predictions was established. I became adept in MS Excel, MS
Word, GetData, Origin, and SigmaPlot during my research. My research work got accepted at the
National Conference on Physics 2025 for poster presentation and ICPSDT 6th International Conference
on Physics for Sustainable Development and Technology for Oral Presentation, where I received the prize
for Best Oral Presentation in the Nuclear Physics section.
I often ponder how a branch of science that studies matter, energy and their interactions correlate the
living system. This reminds me of a query one of my class six students once enquired, “ What aligns
biology and physics under one roof?” I first thought it was just a mere random question, but I never
expected that the possible answer would make me so deeply interested in Biomedical physics. My interest
in Medical Physics was piqued in the course Biomedical Physics. In this course, I was introduced to
“Structure of Macromolecules”, “Chemical pump and membrane potential” and “various Imaging
Techniques” and many more. All these intrigued me in the realm of Biophysics and Medical Physics. At
Jagannath University, in my master’s program, I have engaged in rigorous coursework in “Nuclear
Radiation and Health Physics”, where I realised how precisely controlled radiation can be used to
diagnose diseases, treat cancers, and improve the quality of life. Topics like biological effects of radiation
and radiation protection have further deepened my desire for advanced research in this particular field.
The research opportunities at Kent State University ranging from studying DNA, protein and small
molecule interactions at single molecule resolution to fundamental mechanical properties of DNA and the
mechanisms controlling large-scale structural changes in proteins. I am confident that the resources and
mentorship available will enable me to make significant progress in my research career. I am eager to
pursue my Ph.D. studies Kent State University, as it would not only provide me the opportunity to work
under the supervision of renowned professors but also give me the opportunity to work in world-class
laboratory facilities. I sincerely hope for the opportunity to embark on my Ph.D. studies at this
distinguished university. After visiting the web page of the Department of Physics, I came across the
diverse research works Kent State University carries out. I am particularly eager to collaborate with
Professor Hamza Balci, whose methods to study DNA, protein and small molecule interactions closely
align with my interests. Additionally, I am intrigued by the work of Associate Professor Thorsten-Lars
Schmidt on stabilising DNA structures for nanomedicine. The research elucidates the DNA
nanotechnology used to design nanoscale devices that can refine the understanding of the structure and
mechanics of DNA and membrane proteins, opening new frontiers for advanced biophysical and
biomedical research. Furthermore, working with Professor John Portman would provide an invaluable
opportunity, as his work on developing analytical and computational approaches to understand the
mechanisms controlling large-scale structural changes in proteins aligns perfectly with my interests.
I believe that if we work hard to accomplish something, we will be crowned victors in the end. We need
such a strong dedication to delivering the effort on that specific thing we intend to do. According to
Richard P. Feynman, “Work as hard and as much as you want to on the things you like to do the best.” I
firmly believe undergraduate education provides a broad introduction to the many dimensions of a
profession. For international students like me, one of the greatest challenges lies in selecting the right
country and university to pursue advanced study with full funded scholarship.
I believe the education, opportunities and lab facilities I will get as a research or teaching assistant will
prepare me to fulfil my career goals successfully. I aspire to enhance my knowledge of biomedical
physics to make meaningful contributions toward the advancement of human health and well-being,
alongside unveiling new arenas of Biophysics. Alongwith my passion for teaching, my interests make me
feel that research and teaching are the suitable career for me, and a Ph.D would indubitably pave my path
towards my childhood dream of becoming a professor. Thus, I resonate with the Ph.D program at Kent
State University not only because of the alignment of research interests, but also I envision a great
opportunity for my higher studies. My past experiences have taught me to be patient and hard-working
until achieving my goal. Therefore, I am highly looking forward to getting admitted to your esteemed
Ph.D. program and also, by alleviating the financial pressures of graduate study an assistantship would
help me to immerse myself in producing impactful, interdisciplinary research.