Statement of Purpose

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Tryaksh Gupta M.S. applicant
B. Tech, Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineering
IIT Roorkee Cornell University

Eyes filled with dreams, I stepped into the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee by
cracking one of India's toughest exams – JEE Advanced. My mother, being a doctorate holder,
and my father being a master's degree holder, have always kept an edifying atmosphere around
me. When I was in junior high school, I remember regular discussions with my father about
the latest technological developments, particularly automobiles and aircraft, which was a key
factor behind my decision to pursue mechanical engineering.

Today, automobile and aerospace industries strive to achieve absolute zero: zero failures,
accidents, and emissions. Engineers worldwide are working to change the mobility sector's
existing technology, thereby making it more efficient, reliable, and sustainable. While yearning
to be a part of this change, my four years at the college has given me a definite direction.
Having developed an interest in computational solid mechanics, I aspire to contribute to the
ongoing research in modern and sustainable engineering materials possessing light weights and
high strengths. Pursuing graduate studies will pave the path for my long-term goal to see cities
and the transport sector turn sustainable and failure-proof.

When the introductory course in mechanics of materials I took in my sophomore year was
about to end, my mind started barraging with a set of questions. How do different materials
and structures behave under varied conditions? Is it possible to build numerical models that
could accurately model this behavior? I had a wonderful opportunity to answer these questions
through a fully-funded research internship at Sorbonne University-Paris, under the supervision
of Prof. Laurent Ponson (CNRS faculty). The project aimed to simulate the fracture process in
an elasto-plastic material using the finite element formulation of the cohesive zone model. The
internship provided me with a plethora of learning opportunities, bolstering my concepts in
fracture mechanics, fractography, and finite element modeling. This encouraging research
experience served as an integral part of my motivation to pursue my field of interest and apply
for a graduate program.

While answering many questions, my research at Sorbonne University-Paris, in fact, raised

more questions in my mind: How to extend the numerical modeling of the fracture process to
real-world scenarios? How do modern materials used under strenuous conditions of
temperature and fatigue stress fail? Overwhelmed by these questions, I did my final year project
under the guidance of Prof. Indra Vir Singh on the topic– Crack Growth Study under Spectrum
Fatigue Loading using XFEM. We successfully validated the developed numerical technique
with experimental support from the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (India). The
resulting undergraduate thesis was lauded for the insightful presentation, and the project's
contributions are under review in the Journal "Mechanics of Advanced Materials and
Structures." This year-long project not only improved my academic writing and coding skills
but also added to my curiosity for further advancements in numerical models required to
simulate advanced high strength alloys and composites.

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Tryaksh Gupta Mechanical Engineering, M.S. applicant

Calendar packed, I effectively distributed time between academics and extra-curricular

activities. While being among the batch toppers, I actively took part in numerous academic,
cultural, and sports activities at the campus. I tried building my soft skills through participation
in teaching and mentoring practices. Furthermore, I assiduously served as a part of Team Knox
– an official group that designs and manufactures All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) to participate in
the BAJA SAE India. I worked as a technical member of the Computer-Aided Engineering
(CAE) department for two years. Owing to the effective management and impactful
augmentation of the CAE processes, the team selected me as the CAE Head – a leading position
responsible for monitoring the CAD modeling, static, and dynamics analysis of components
and assemblies using finite element analysis (FEA). All the experiences relevant to Team Knox
instilled in me the capability to lead a team and work on group projects.

During my master's program, I wish to pursue research on advanced high strength alloys and a
variety of composites probing into opportunities for their potential use in the automotive and
aerospace industry. Having developed numerical techniques to study fatigue crack growth in
an alloy, I want to expand my knowledge and skills with experiments on metals and composites
at Cornell University’s advanced facilities like the new Insitμ center. Besides these, while
literature reviewing for my undergraduate thesis, I came across a news article in Cornell
Chronicle, which mentioned Prof. Christopher J. Hernandez's team research on naturally
occurring micro-architectured material – cancellous bone. The research clearly opened the door
for further study to use the material in the aerospace industry. Furthermore, Prof. Matthew P.
Miller mentions in his research that accurate stress quantification is of the utmost importance
when it comes to the strength of a structure or the safety of passengers. Therefore, I can't think
of a better opportunity to apply my knowledge in the ongoing research at Sibley School of
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering that perfectly resonates with my research aspirations.

Apart from this, Cornell University would allow me to interact with a diverse set of erudite
people and work on impactful projects cutting across disciplines. I envision myself to be a
successful engineer conversant with my field's technicalities and making a difference by
building a safe and sustainable society. I ardently believe that Cornell University's M.S. in
Mechanical Engineering program is the perfect platform for these aspirations.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I am looking forward to being a part of Cornell
University’s intellectual family.