Natural Science Personal Statement Example

The scientific method is arguably the greatest invention of all time. Perfected over millennia, essentially since mankind's first question, it has been the fundamental force driving discovery and innovation. In its purest form it is the continual process of refining and rejecting hypotheses based upon available evidence; the natural selection of scientific theories. This means that if something does not consistently work then it is discarded without remorse and, as such, even long-standing theories are not immune - Newton's Laws of Motion being a prime example. In the end, however, this allows us to better understand phenomena ranging from the simple speed of a car to the exotic particles of particle accelerators. Of course, this process isn't just limited to physics but appears in all of science.

One of my strongest childhood memories is of a quantum mechanics lecture I attended at a young age. Whilst I understood little, it left a strong impression and raised the possibility of a career in scientific research. Though my primary interest lies with physics, I also enjoy reading about other academic topics such as evolutionary biology and entomology in particular. I regularly read the New Scientist, National Geographic and the Economist's science section to keep up with the latest discoveries and research. I enjoy and excel at mathematics, having taken part in the UKMT Olympiad Round, and have investigated a variety of problems such as Pascal’s Triangle at higher polynomial degrees. Primarily motivated by curiosity, it is often the small details that appeal to me; for example, I am intrigued by the parallels that can be drawn from different phenomena - such as between thermodynamic systems, classical objects and temporary dipoles - where certain laws are true macroscopically but cannot be used to describe smaller parts of the system.

Most of my knowledge and interest stems from the books and magazines that I read, providing a far deeper and more interesting insight into science than the school curriculum ever could. A book that was key to my intellectual development was Life on the Edge, as it introduced me to quantum biology. I subsequently attended a talk on the subject by one of its authors at the New Scientist Live event, also learning about Hyperloop systems and the Higgs boson, among other topics, whilst there. Besides reading, I have taken part in online courses including one on ecosystems by FutureLearn. I also shadowed a theoretical physicist working on phase space diagrams at a sub-Zurek scale; this was fascinating as it demonstrated that the boundaries of science are continually being pushed and that there can be significant limits to doing so.

Outside academia, I enjoy a range of interests, chief of which being rock climbing, watersports and obstacle races. I climb regularly and have progressed quickly up the grading system. In addition, I have achieved RYA level 4 in sailing, whilst working on level 3 for windsurfing. Recently I have completed and trained for three obstacle races including a 16 mile Spartan Beast. Last year, with my NCS team I helped raise over £2000 for Herts Air Ambulance and, for my Bronze DofE, I volunteered at a local charity dedicated to hedgehog conservation and rehabilitation. I play guitar and bass in a band and am teaching myself piano to extend my musical capability. We perform at local venues where we play our own songs and have been invited to play the Meraki Festival next summer. The experience of playing live has greatly improved my confidence in front of an audience.