In this blog post, I will outline my childhood dream, the reasons for choosing aerospace engineering as my major, my academic plan, and my post-graduation goals and values.
Motivation for Pursuing This Field
In my room, I have a poster depicting the Apollo 11 mission, which marked humanity’s first moon landing. Rather than simply playing with robots, I enjoyed taking them apart and reassembling them, which fostered a deep interest in science. I was particularly fascinated by the image of astronauts, so I always wrote “astronaut” as my future career aspiration. This vague fascination with space, which began in my childhood, kept me interested in this field and led me to dream of becoming an astronaut. Just imagining myself gazing at the universe and piloting an invisible spacecraft—rather than doing work visible from Earth—made me feel wonderful. To turn this pleasant fantasy into reality, I intend to enroll at your university. Now, I want to see myself controlling satellites orbiting Earth or spacecraft traveling to other planets with my own hands, successfully completing the missions assigned to me.
Academic Plan and Goals
I will diligently follow the university curriculum to acquire the skills and knowledge required of an aerospace scientist and to gain a deep understanding of aerospace engineering. By majoring in aerospace engineering, I will study in depth what is required to build satellites and spacecraft launched into space. Along with this, I will take courses in physics and related subjects to build the knowledge necessary for my major. To guard against any potential complacency, I have set the goal of becoming an academic scholarship recipient for all four years and will strive to achieve it.
Above all, I must not neglect the foundational subjects of engineering—such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry—and I must cultivate a spirit of constant inquiry and challenge. Furthermore, I believe it will be highly beneficial to consistently engage with and study information regarding the historical development of this field, ongoing research and development, and future challenges.
Post-Graduation Plans
My dream is to participate in projects currently being actively pursued in the United States and Europe, such as sending probes to planets like Mars. To achieve this, after completing my studies, I wish to compete with global talents at world-renowned science and engineering universities, such as MIT. Afterward, I plan to join NASA to learn the space science and technology of the United States, a nation known as a space power, and then return to South Korea to conduct research aimed at developing spacecraft using South Korean technology.
I wish to contribute to raising South Korea’s aerospace technology—particularly in the field of propulsion systems, which is arguably the most critical component—to the level of advanced nations, enabling South Korea to compete on equal footing and collaborate with them. Compared to advanced nations, South Korea’s aerospace sector is still in its infancy, but its potential for growth is as limitless as space itself. I want to become a professional who can take on the challenges of this field with infinite potential and work while gazing at the universe.
Self-Introduction
Since childhood, I have loved mathematics and science, which helped me develop the habit of deeply reflecting on given problems. Whether solving problems or addressing everyday challenges, I prefer to consider issues from various perspectives rather than simply applying memorized formulas or following predefined templates. I have always enjoyed an experimental and logical approach to problem-solving, where I apply new methods to arrive at entirely different conclusions. I believe this trait has not only laid the foundation for my current immersion in physics, based on mathematical thinking, but has also served as the bedrock for my decision to pursue a career in aerospace technology and to live a life dedicated to science, exploring the unknown.
The person I admire most is the physicist Richard Feynman.
Ever since I first encountered his book in my first year of middle school, I have been deeply captivated by his outlook on life and his love for science. I was fascinated by his attitude toward scholarship—approaching it with genuine enthusiasm and a pioneering spirit, unburdened by the obligations or prestige of being an academic; his spirit of constantly seeking out and challenging himself in various fields of life, including not only academia but also music and art; and, above all, his open-minded approach to everything in the world. From him, I learned to approach scholarship with joy and passion, and I realized that scholarship is not limited to itself but can extend into infinite possibilities.
