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Abdullah Afzal Statement of Purpose DTU

Abdullah Afzal is applying to the Ph.D. program in Interdisciplinary Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark. He has a background in industrial engineering and operations research, having completed his post-graduation in industrial engineering and management and his undergraduate degree in telecommunication engineering. His past research focused on applying total quality management techniques in the fast food sector. He is interested in systems engineering management and pursuing an academic career. DTU is an excellent fit for his interests in its strong research orientation and diverse faculty in interdisciplinary engineering.

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698 views

Abdullah Afzal Statement of Purpose DTU

Abdullah Afzal is applying to the Ph.D. program in Interdisciplinary Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark. He has a background in industrial engineering and operations research, having completed his post-graduation in industrial engineering and management and his undergraduate degree in telecommunication engineering. His past research focused on applying total quality management techniques in the fast food sector. He is interested in systems engineering management and pursuing an academic career. DTU is an excellent fit for his interests in its strong research orientation and diverse faculty in interdisciplinary engineering.

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AbdullahAfzal
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© © All Rights Reserved
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ABDULLAH AFZAL STATEMENT OF PURPOSE DTU

I have completed my two year Post Graduation in Industrial Engineering and Management from University of the
Punjab, Lahore in 2013. Many of my courses and research activities in the final year were in the field of Industrial
Engineering and Operations Research with a strong focus on total quality and operations management. Prior to that;
I obtained my four year Bachelor of Telecommunication Engineering degree in 2008 from FAST-National University of
Computer and Emerging Sciences, Lahore. I am presently working in Superior University, an education/training
institute that is involved in the areas of producing Electrical Engineers, Computer Graduates and Business Managers.
I am applying for admission to the Ph.D. program in Interdisciplinary Engineering (Department of Engineering
Systems and Management) at the Technical University of Denmark.

I was introduced to mathematics and the physical sciences while at school and it was in high school that I considered
a career in this area. The desire to study the applied physical sciences and mathematics prompted me to take
Engineering as my further career.

My undergraduate education at FAST-NUCES Lahore has not only given me a certain set of skills but has also helped
me understand my fields of interest and my academic strengths and weaknesses. This understanding has made me
realize that though the applied physical sciences appeal to me, my strengths lie in Engineering Management Domain
and in abstractions of reality. In particular, I am interested in the managerial aspects of industrial and technological
systems. This interest developed during my junior year seminar titled ‘Productivity Management’ in which I explored
the relationship between manufacturing strategy, energy management, process optimization and productivity
improvement.

I, then decided to opt Industrial Engineering and Management as my MS degree and chose further research in this
area through my thesis titled ‘Application of total quality management techniques in the fast food sector’ which
sought to investigate the relationship customer satisfaction would have on various other factors. The project also
enabled me to appreciate the interaction between service industry and the other functions of the firm especially
operations research and energy management. The reading of certain outstanding books during the course of my
research such as Deming’s ‘Out of the Crisis’ and Goldratt’s ‘The Goal’ finally convinced me to pursue a Ph.D. in
systems engineering management and an academic career thereafter.

My past work in the area of industrial engineering and operations research was characterized by a dichotomy of
approaches. The courses that I took in this area dealt with various operational and tactical issues. The basic aim was
to understand a specific problem, model the problem appropriately and find an optimal or reasonably optimal
solution using the techniques of operations research. This has given me a good background in issues related to
methodology, modelling, and heuristic solutions. On the other hand, my research has been oriented towards
strategic issues. Through my future research efforts I would like to understand this dichotomy better.

I believe that I have the qualities to be a good researcher and teacher. I am a creative person and often think in a
contemplative way about various issues of practical importance. Being able to identify patterns and relationships
that are not obvious to others is perhaps my greatest strength. This will prove very valuable because an integral part
of being a researcher and teacher is to perceive the balance between theory and practice, analytical rigor and
intuition. My communication skills are good and I like expressing ideas and concepts both in oral and written form -
an ideal platform for the dissemination of knowledge in my chosen field of specialization.

DTU is one of the best schools of engineering management in the world with a strong orientation towards research.
The diversity of research interests in the Interdisciplinary group is of particular interest to me. The eminent faculty
and the individualized nature of the doctoral program will definitely bring out the best in me. I would like to reiterate
that I possess the background, the ability and the motivation to make a significant contribution to Engineering
Management Domain. I hope you will take a favorable decision regarding my admission to the Ph.D. program and I
look forward to joining DTU.

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