SOP for Chemical Engineering: Samples, Examples & Guide

Writing a compelling SOP for Chemical Engineering requires far more than listing academic achievements and summarizing a resume. Admissions committees at top chemical engineering departments look for evidence of critical technical thinking, research capability, mathematical proficiency, and a clear alignment between your background and their faculty’s expertise. Whether you are drafting a Chemical Engineering Statement of Purpose for a Master’s degree or a research-heavy PhD program, reviewing a well-crafted Chemical Engineering SOP sample provides the framework necessary to articulate your career aspirations and academic readiness effectively.

What Is an SOP for Chemical Engineering?

A Statement of Purpose (SOP) for Chemical Engineering is a formal, research-oriented essay submitted as part of your application to graduate school. Unlike undergraduate application essays that focus on personal growth or character building, a chemical engineering SOP serves as a professional proposal demonstrating your competence in engineering principles and your potential to contribute to advanced scientific inquiry or industrial innovation.

An outstanding chemical engineering SOP must convey concrete qualifications across six key pillars:

• Academic Background: Demonstration of a rigorous foundation in fundamental core transport phenomena, chemical thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, kinetics, and reaction engineering.

• Engineering Experience: Practical exposure to chemical equipment design, pilot plant operations, process control instrumentation, and computational process modeling tools.

• Research Interests: A clear, focused identification of specific technical subfields, such as heterogeneous catalysis, membrane separation, polymer processing, biochemical synthesis, or renewable energy systems.

• Technical Skills: Mastery over domain-specific software (e.g., ASPEN Plus, COMSOL Multiphysics, MATLAB, ChemCAD) and analytical laboratory equipment (e.g., HPLC, GC-MS, SEM, XRD, FTIR).

• Program Fit: A well-researched rationale detailing why a specific university, department, laboratory, or faculty member’s research group aligns with your academic objectives.

• Career and Research Goals: Clear vision connecting graduate studies to long-term post-graduation objectives in academic research, industrial R&D, or process optimization leadership.

What Should a Chemical Engineering SOP Include?

To construct a high-impact narrative, your SOP must follow a structured framework that connects past achievements with future academic plans.

1. Introduction and Motivation

Avoid generic clichés like “I have been fascinated by chemistry since childhood” or “Chemical engineering is the bridge between chemistry and industry.” Instead, launch immediately into a specific technical challenge or research problem that ignited your interest. For instance, discuss a real-world engineering obstacle—such as thermal runaway mitigation in exothermic reactors, transport limitations in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, or efficiency bottlenecks in industrial distillation columns—that drove your decision to pursue advanced studies.

2. Academic Background

Detail your Bachelor’s degree coursework, highlighting high-level performance in core technical subjects. Rather than listing course titles in isolation, explain how specific classes developed your analytical modeling and problem-solving abilities. Focus on foundational subjects:

• Thermodynamics: Chemical reaction equilibria, phase equilibria, non-ideal solution models, and equation of state (EOS) calculations.

• Fluid Mechanics: Viscous flow analysis, Navier-Stokes equations, boundary layer theory, and rheology of complex fluids.

• Heat Transfer: Conduction, convection, radiation, design of heat exchanger networks, and thermal pinch analysis.

• Mass Transfer: Fickian diffusion, convective mass transfer coefficients, distillation column design, extraction, and membrane separations.

• Reaction Engineering: Kinetics, reactor design (CSTR, PFR, packed-bed, fluidized-bed), catalyst deactivation, and mass transport resistance in heterogeneous systems.

• Process Control: Transfer functions, dynamic response analysis, PID controller tuning, feedback loops, and state-space modeling.

3. Chemical Engineering Projects

Provide technical details on capstone design projects or independent research assignments. Detail the tools used, the engineering problems solved, and the measurable outcomes achieved. Focus on areas such as:

• Process Design & Simulation: Modeling a complete chemical plant workflow using ASPEN Plus or ChemCAD, executing rigorous mass and energy balances, sizing equipment, and conducting techno-economic feasibility studies.

• Reactor Design & Kinetics: Determining rate law parameters from experimental batch reactor data, optimizing catalyst geometry to minimize intraparticle diffusion resistance, or designing packed-bed reactors for gas-phase reactions.

• Energy & Biochemical Systems: Designing bioreactors for enzyme-catalyzed bio-ethanol production, modeling battery state-of-charge kinetics, or simulating carbon capture solvent loops.

• Materials & Nanotechnology: Synthesizing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for gas storage, functionalizing carbon nanotubes for composite strengthening, or characterizing nanostructured catalysts.

4. Research or Work Experience

Detail your role as a Research Assistant, Process Engineering Intern, or Quality Control Specialist. Focus on methodologies, experimental apparatuses, instrumentation, and data analysis techniques. Mention any co-authored peer-reviewed journal publications, conference proceedings, patents, or technical posters. If you worked in industry, highlight process safety management (PSM), HAZOP analysis, troubleshooting unit operations, or debottlenecking production lines.

5. Research Interests

Define your exact areas of interest precisely. Rather than stating “I am interested in renewable energy,” state: “My research interests lie in the design of nanostructured electrocatalysts for efficient water splitting and electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction in low-temperature electrolyzers.” Narrow down your focus to 1–2 interconnected domain specializations.

6. Why This University?

Demonstrate deep familiarity with the institution’s chemical engineering department. Name specific faculty members whose current research aligns with your background, reference recent papers published by their research groups, and mention specialized centers, shared facilities, or experimental setups (e.g., specialized NMR suites, pilot-scale fluidization rigs, or cleanroom facilities) that make the program unique.

7. Career and Research Goals

Conclude by outlining your post-degree career vision. Specify whether you intend to transition into industrial research and development (e.g., Senior Process Development Engineer at a semiconductor, energy, or specialty chemical firm) or pursue academic research positions, post-doctoral fellowships, and professorships.

How to Write an SOP for Chemical Engineering

Follow a clear six-stage narrative framework to structure your statement seamlessly:

• Stage 1: Motivation: Introduce a technical problem or industry challenge that grounds your decision to pursue graduate studies.

• Stage 2: Academic Background: Establish your theoretical groundwork in core transport phenomena, thermodynamics, and kinetics.

• Stage 3: Engineering Experience: Demonstrate applied competence through capstone design projects, process simulation, and laboratory work.

• Stage 4: Specialized Research Interests: Narrow your technical scope to specific subdisciplines within chemical engineering.

• Stage 5: Program Fit: Connect your goals directly to specific professors, laboratories, and departmental resources at the target university.

• Stage 6: Future Objectives: Outline clear short-term and long-term professional aspirations in industry or academia.

Sample SOP for Chemical Engineering

The following comprehensive sample SOP for chemical engineering illustrates how to structure a winning application essay for a Master of Science program focusing on sustainable process design and reaction engineering.

SAMPLE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: M.S. IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The urgent imperative to transition industrial chemical production toward sustainable, carbon-neutral paradigms presents one of the most critical engineering challenges of our time. Traditional chemical manufacturing processes rely heavily on energy-intensive thermochemical pathways that generate substantial greenhouse gas emissions. My passion for chemical engineering stems from a desire to redesign these fundamental industrial processes by integrating novel catalytic systems with dynamic process simulation. Pursuing a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering at [University Name] represents the necessary next step in acquiring the advanced transport phenomena and reaction kinetics training required to pioneer sustainable energy conversion technologies.

My academic foundation in chemical engineering was established during my Bachelor of Science degree at [Institute Name], where I focused on mastering the fundamental principles governing mass, momentum, and heat transfer alongside chemical reaction kinetics. In my advanced coursework, I excelled in Chemical Reaction Engineering and Process Control, earning top marks for my analytical approach to solving non-isothermal, non-ideal reactor design problems. To translate theoretical transport concepts into practical simulation skills, I completed rigorous training in ASPEN Plus, modeling complex multicomponent distillation columns and heat exchanger networks while accounting for phase non-idealities using the NRTL and UNIQUAC activity coefficient models.

To apply these concepts to real-world challenges, my undergraduate capstone design project focused on the techno-economic optimization and simulation of a green ammonia production loop. Utilizing ASPEN Plus, I simulated a modified Haber-Bosch process coupled with an upstream water electrolysis unit powered by intermittent renewable energy. A key bottleneck in this process was the low single-pass conversion rate in the synthesis reactor due to thermodynamic equilibrium constraints at high temperatures. Under the guidance of Dr. [Advisor Name], I conducted kinetic sensitivity analyses across a range of operating pressures (100–250 bar) and space velocities. By integrating a membrane separation unit into the recycle loop, my dynamic model achieved a 14% reduction in energy consumption per ton of ammonia produced while maintaining process stability during simulated renewable input fluctuations.

Complementing my computational work, I served as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Reaction Engineering Laboratory, where I gained hands-on experience in catalyst synthesis and characterization. My research focused on preparing nickel-based catalysts supported on mesoporous silica for dry reforming of methane (DRM). I synthesized catalyst samples using wet impregnation techniques and analyzed their physical and chemical properties using Powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Nitrogen Physisorption (BET surface area), and Temperature-Programmed Reduction ($H_2$-TPR). Operating a fixed-bed quartz micro-reactor connected to an on-line Gas Chromatograph (GC-TCD), I evaluated catalyst activity and coke resistance over 50-hour continuous runs. This project not only deepened my understanding of heterogeneous catalysis and intraparticle diffusion limitations but also taught me the rigorous experimental discipline required for precise kinetic data collection.

[University Name]’s Department of Chemical Engineering stands out as the ideal institution for my graduate studies due to its world-class research in reaction engineering and sustainable energy conversion. I am particularly drawn to the research conducted in Dr. [Professor A]’s laboratory, where recent work on structured catalytic reactors for green hydrogen production closely matches my academic background. I am eager to contribute to Dr. [Professor A]’s ongoing projects on high-temperature electrocatalytic reduction of industrial flue gases. Additionally, the department’s state-of-the-art Advanced Materials & Surface Characterization Facility would afford me the precise analytical capabilities required to investigate complex catalyst structure-function relationships at the molecular level.

Following the completion of my Master’s degree, I intend to join a leading industrial research and development facility as a Senior Process Development Engineer, focusing on scaling up green chemical processes from bench-scale reactors to pilot plants. Long term, I aim to lead process engineering teams driving the commercialization of novel catalytic technologies that reduce the carbon intensity of global chemical manufacturing. The rigorous academic environment and pioneering research facilities at [University Name] will provide me with the technical expertise and problem-solving framework to achieve these goals.

Why This Chemical Engineering SOP Works

Analyzing this sample paragraph-by-paragraph reveals why it strongly appeals to university admissions committees:

• Paragraph 1: Motivation & Scope: Establishes an immediate technical focus (sustainable process design, reaction kinetics) instead of a generic personal story. Clearly states the specific degree sought and overall academic intent.

• Paragraph 2: Academic Foundations & Software Skills: Demonstrates mastery over core chemical engineering fundamentals (thermodynamics, kinetics, transport phenomena) and mentions specific thermodynamic models (NRTL, UNIQUAC) and software (ASPEN Plus).

• Paragraph 3: Practical Engineering Project: Highlights a technical capstone design project, quantifying results (14% reduction in energy consumption) and demonstrating competence in kinetic analysis, process modeling, and dynamic system behavior.

• Paragraph 4: Laboratory & Experimental Research Experience: Demonstrates hands-on experimental research skills. Details precise synthesis techniques, analytical instrumentation (XRD, BET, $H_2$-TPR, GC-TCD), and reactor configurations (fixed-bed micro-reactor).

• Paragraph 5: Deep Program Fit & Specificity: Names specific faculty members (Dr. [Professor A]), references precise research groups, and cites university facilities, proving the applicant conducted thorough, targeted research before applying.

• Paragraph 6: Career Goals & Vision: Provides a clear, realistic career path (Process Development Engineer in industrial R&D) that logically follows the proposed graduate training.

Chemical Engineering SOP Examples

When searching for a SOP for chemical engineering example, applicants often benefit from seeing how candidates with different backgrounds frame their experiences. Below are concise focal examples for distinct applicant profiles.

Example: Research-Focused Applicant

“My undergraduate thesis concentrated on synthesizing hierarchical ZSM-5 zeolites to mitigate steric hindrance in the catalytic cracking of heavy bio-oil fractions. Operating continuous micro-reactors and analyzing product slates via GC-MS, I determined that controlled desilication increased pore accessibility while preserving active Brønsted acid sites, resulting in a 22% improvement in light olefin selectivity. At [University Name], I intend to expand upon this foundation in heterogeneous catalysis by working with Dr. [Professor Name] to develop targeted micro-porous materials for selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides.”

Example: Industry-Focused Applicant

“During my two years as a Junior Process Engineer at [Chemical Company], I led the debottlenecking of a continuous acrylic acid purification train. By re-evaluating tray hydraulics and packing pressure drops using ASPEN Rate-Based Distillation, I identified severe entrainment flooding in the primary absorber column. Implementing a re-designed structured packing configuration raised plant throughput by 12% without increasing reboiler duty. Pursuing a Master’s degree at [University Name] will allow me to master advanced multivariable process dynamics and model predictive control, enabling me to optimize large-scale chemical operations.”

Example: Fresh Graduate

“Throughout my B.S. in Chemical Engineering at [University Name], I focused on mastering energy transfer operations and mathematical modeling. In my senior design project, I modeled a thermal energy storage system utilizing encapsulated phase-change materials (PCMs) in COMSOL Multiphysics. By solving transient heat conduction equations with moving phase boundaries, I optimized capsule dimensions to maximize thermal discharge rates. Graduate study at [University Name] will provide the advanced transport phenomena and numerical computational tools needed to design scalable thermal management systems for grid-scale energy storage.”

Statement of Purpose for Master’s in Chemical Engineering

Drafting an effective statement of purpose for masters in chemical engineering requires balancing advanced theoretical coursework with applied technical projects and industrial readiness.

What to Include in a Master’s Chemical Engineering SOP

A successful Master’s SOP should emphasize your capacity to tackle advanced coursework and apply engineering tools to complex practical problems. Key components include:

• Undergraduate academic foundation and core engineering GPA.

• Mastery of simulation software (ASPEN Plus, COMSOL, ChemCAD, MATLAB).

• Engineering capstone design projects and techno-economic evaluations.

• Industrial internship experiences, plant safety knowledge, and unit operations troubleshooting.

• Specific technical electives taken during undergraduate studies.

• Professional long-term career goals in engineering design, consulting, or industrial operations.

SAMPLE EXCERPT: MASTER’S IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

“During my undergraduate studies at [University Name], I developed a deep passion for fluid mechanics and separation processes. My capstone design project involved modeling an extraction column for recovering bio-based succinic acid from fermentation broths. Using ASPEN Plus, I evaluated various liquid-liquid extraction solvents based on distribution coefficients and selectivity ratios, ultimately designing a continuous multi-stage counter-current extractor. To validate the simulation, I constructed a bench-scale Oldshue-Rushton column, measuring hydrodynamic liquid-liquid holdup and mass transfer coefficients. Pursuing an M.S. in Chemical Engineering at [Target University] will enable me to take advanced transport phenomena and complex fluid dynamics courses, equipping me to design next-generation bio-separation processes in the biopharmaceutical sector.”

Chemical Engineering PhD SOP

A chemical engineering phd sop differs significantly from a Master’s statement. A PhD SOP must demonstrate original research capability, independent critical thinking, and specific alignment with ongoing faculty research.

How Is a PhD SOP Different From a Master’s SOP?

The structural and thematic differences between a Master’s SOP and a PhD SOP are summarized below:

What to Include in a Chemical Engineering PhD SOP?

A PhD SOP must prove that you can formulate research questions, design rigorous control experiments, analyze complex analytical data, and overcome experimental failures. Include:

• Detailed breakdown of prior independent research experiences and Master’s thesis work.

• Specific peer-reviewed publications, patents, manuscripts in preparation, or conference presentations.

• Thorough explanation of scientific hypotheses, experimental controls, and analytical methods used.

• Concrete research questions you propose to answer during your doctoral dissertation.

• Detailed justification for wanting to join specific faculty research groups, referencing their recent publications.

SAMPLE EXCERPT: PHD IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

“My undergraduate research in Dr. [Advisor Name]’s laboratory centered on electrocatalytic $CO_2$ reduction reaction ($CO_2RR$) mechanisms on copper-based gas diffusion electrodes. To address the challenge of poor selectivity toward $C_{2+}$ products like ethylene, I synthesized oxide-derived copper catalysts with tailored surface facets. Using in-situ Raman spectroscopy and online differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS), I monitored reaction intermediates under active polarization, demonstrating that specific $Cu(100)/Cu(111)$ facet boundaries lower the activation barrier for C-C coupling. This work resulted in a first-author publication in the [Journal Name]. At [Target University], I aim to pursue my Ph.D. under the mentorship of Dr. [Faculty Name] to investigate operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques on single-atom electrocatalysts, elucidating dynamic coordination changes during water oxidation.”

Chemical Engineering SOP Format

Maintain a clean, professional structure using this proven document layout framework:

Chemical Engineering SOP Examples by Specialization

Tailoring your SOP to your specific subfield is vital for demonstrating genuine domain expertise. Below are specialized strategies and keywords for major chemical engineering disciplines:

• Process Engineering SOP: Focus on plant design, debottlenecking, steady-state and dynamic process simulation, heat integration, pinch analysis, techno-economic analysis (TEA), and process safety (HAZOP). Mention tools like ASPEN Plus, HYSYS, and ChemCAD.

• Reaction Engineering SOP: Emphasize heterogenous and homogenous catalysis, reaction kinetics, transport limitations (Thiele modulus, internal/external mass transfer resistance), reactor modeling (CSTR, PFR, packed-bed), and surface reaction mechanisms.

• Biochemical Engineering SOP: Highlight bioreactor design, fermentation kinetics, upstream processing, downstream separation (centrifugation, chromatography, ultrafiltration), enzymatic kinetics, metabolic engineering, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

• Materials Engineering SOP: Detail polymer synthesis, rheology, nanocomposites, soft matter physics, structural characterization (SEM, TEM, XRD, AFM), mechanical property testing, and structure-property relationships.

• Energy and Sustainability SOP: Focus on fuel cells, electrolyzers, battery chemistry, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), life cycle assessment (LCA), photo-electrochemical water splitting, and renewable energy integration.

• Pharmaceutical Engineering SOP: Highlight active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) crystallization, continuous solid-dose manufacturing, formulation thermodynamics, drug delivery kinetics, microfluidic synthesis, and regulatory compliance (GMP).

• Nanotechnology SOP: Detail nanostructured materials synthesis, quantum dots, surface functionalization, microfluidic devices, cleanroom fabrication techniques, self-assembly thermodynamics, and nano-catalytic systems.

• Environmental Engineering SOP: Emphasize advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), industrial wastewater treatment, membrane bioreactors, desalination, hazardous waste remediation, and atmospheric aerosol modeling.

Common Mistakes in a Chemical Engineering SOP

Avoid these frequent pitfalls that diminish the impact of chemical engineering application essays:

1. Using a Generic Engineering Introduction: Starting with statements like “Engineering has always fascinated me since I played with Legos as a child” or “Chemical engineering is the core of modern society” wastes valuable space. Admissions committees read hundreds of identical openings. Begin immediately with a sophisticated technical statement or research problem.

2. Listing Courses Without Context: Do not simply write out your transcript: “I took Mass Transfer, Heat Transfer, Thermodynamics, and Process Control.” Instead, explain how these courses prepared you for research: “My coursework in non-ideal thermodynamics provided the theoretical framework required to model complex liquid-liquid phase equilibria in extraction columns.”

3. Listing Laboratory Techniques Without Explaining Their Use: Simply dropping instrument acronyms (HPLC, GC-MS, XRD, FTIR) without context reads like a skill list copied from a resume. Always explain why you used a technique: “I utilized powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the crystallite size and phase purity of synthesized zeolite catalysts.”

4. Being Too Broad: Claiming equal interest in energy systems, AI in process engineering, nanotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, and polymers makes an applicant appear unfocused. Select 1–2 interconnected subfields and build a cohesive narrative around them.

5. Repeating the Resume: An SOP is not a prose version of your CV. Do not list every job, award, and society membership chronologically. Instead, curate a focused story that connects key experiences to your research motivation.

6. Generic “Why This University” Section: Writing “I want to join [University] because of its world-renowned faculty, excellent campus, and high ranking” applies to any school. Name specific professors, reference their recent papers, and describe exact research facilities unique to that program.

7. Using the Same SOP for Master’s and PhD: Submitting an industry-focused Master’s SOP to a PhD program signals a fundamental misunderstanding of doctoral studies. PhD SOPs must focus primarily on original research, thesis goals, and faculty fit.

How to Make Your Chemical Engineering SOP Stand Out

To create an exceptional SOP, structure your technical project descriptions around a proven narrative progression:

The Chemical Engineering Narrative Formula

• Problem: Identify the engineering challenge or scientific unknown.

• Experience: Describe the experimental, simulation, or analytical approach you implemented.

• Your Contribution: Specify your individual role, tools used (ASPEN, MATLAB, HPLC, XRD), and methodologies.

• Result: State the quantifiable outcome, efficiency improvement, or insight gained.

• Research Direction: Explain how this project directly shaped your future research interests.

For example, instead of stating: “I worked on an ASPEN project in college,” apply the formula:

“To address high energy consumption in continuous distillation columns (Problem), I executed a pinch analysis and heat exchanger network synthesis in ASPEN Energy Analyzer (Experience/Contribution). By integrating a heat pump into the overhead vapor stream, I achieved a 28% reduction in hot utility requirements (Result). This project inspired my desire to pursue advanced research in thermally integrated separation systems at [University Name] (Research Direction).”

Chemical Engineering SOP Checklist

Before submitting your statement, verify that your document meets all these quality benchmarks:

• [x] Technical motivation for chemical engineering is clearly articulated in the opening paragraph.

• [x] Academic background highlights core transport phenomena, thermodynamics, and kinetics mastery.

• [x] Technical software tools (ASPEN Plus, COMSOL, MATLAB) and analytical equipment are mentioned in context.

• [x] Capstone design projects or laboratory research experiences include quantifiable outcomes.

• [x] Research interests are focused on 1–2 specific subfields within chemical engineering.

• [x] Faculty members, research groups, and laboratories at the target university are explicitly named.

• [x] Differences between Master’s (applied/coursework) and PhD (original research) focus are respected.

• [x] Short-term and long-term post-graduation career goals are clearly defined.

• [x] Word count and formatting guidelines specified by the university are followed exactly.

• [x] Document is free of grammatical errors, prose clichés, and unnecessary jargon.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is an SOP for Chemical Engineering? An SOP for Chemical Engineering is a formal graduate application essay detailing an applicant’s academic foundation, technical achievements, research experience, and professional goals in chemical engineering.

How do I write an SOP for Chemical Engineering? Write your SOP by following a structured progression: state your technical motivation, detail your academic background in core transport phenomena and kinetics, describe research or design projects, state specific research interests, demonstrate program fit with the target university, and outline your career goals.

What should I include in a Master’s SOP for Chemical Engineering? Include details on core coursework, process simulation software proficiency (ASPEN, COMSOL), capstone design projects, industrial internships, technical skills, and career objectives in industrial R&D or engineering management.

How is a Chemical Engineering PhD SOP different from a Master’s SOP? A PhD SOP focuses primarily on original scientific research, thesis work, publications, experimental methodologies, specific research questions, and alignment with prospective faculty research groups, whereas a Master’s SOP focuses more on coursework, simulation projects, and applied engineering skills.

How long should a Chemical Engineering SOP be? Typically, a Chemical Engineering SOP should be between 800 and 1,200 words (1.5 to 2 single-spaced pages), unless the target program specifies a different length or word limit.

Can I use the same SOP for multiple universities? No. While the core structure, academic background, and project descriptions can remain similar, you must customize the “Why This University” section for every application by citing specific professors, laboratories, and departmental research strengths.

Should I mention my research interests in my Chemical Engineering SOP? Yes, absolutely. Defining clear research interests (e.g., catalysis, membrane separations, process optimization) shows maturity and helps admissions committees evaluate your alignment with departmental strengths.

Should I mention professors in my SOP? Yes, especially for PhD programs and research-based Master’s degrees. Naming 2–3 faculty members whose current research matches your background demonstrates that you have thoroughly researched the program.