Dr. Scott Mcadam

Assistant Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Scott Mcadam. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Scott McAdam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. A first-generation college student from a family of dairy farmers, he initially pursued a degree in chemistry but discovered his passion for botany when he switched majors to study plant adaptation to the environment and evolution. His transformative experience conducting research in plant physiology during his undergraduate years inspired him to attend graduate school and commit to a lifelong career in science. His current teaching includes BNTY 120: Principles of Plant Biology. His research interests focus on understanding how plants respond to environmental conditions, particularly under drought and water limitations. He studies the adaptations that allow plants to thrive in dry environments and has evolved this interest into research opportunities where students can engage in independent research on plant water relations, all while being supervised by graduate students in the lab. McAdam actively hires undergraduate students as hourly employees to support these projects and encourage hands-on learning through the design and conduct of their own experiments.

Research Interests

Courses

BNTY 120: Principles of Plant Biology

Requirements for Purdue University

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:22
Reading
Required:22
Writing
Required:22
Speaking
Required:22
Total
Required:100
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
Duolingo
Overall Score
Required:135
Overall
Required:135
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in CS or related field Foundational concepts of computer science Data structures Computer architecture Operating systems Mathematics through differential equations Linear and matrix algebra
Application Checklist
  • Official Transcripts
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Personal History Statement
  • Resume
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • CS Supplementary Form
Specialization Notes

GRE is not required.