Statement of Purpose

I am thrilled to apply for the Ph.D. program in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering
Science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. My strong passion for research drives me, and I
am eager to make meaningful contributions to improving machining processes, specifically, in the
utilization of IIoT and Machine learning algorithms to (i) develop and simulate the data-driven model of
the machining processes, and (ii) optimize the machining process parameters for specific environment and
materials. The opportunity of pursuing my Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte could be
incredibly attractive because of its distinguished faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and dynamic research
environment making it an ideal fit for my academic and professional goals.
In my early childhood, my father bought me a toy car from a local village fair, and the DC motor inside of
it which sparked my curiosity in engineering. I vividly remember an accident that occurred when I
intentionally broke that toy car and tried to power the motor with the alternating current, consequently, my
parents scolded me sternly. This incident left me curious and I was determined to comprehend the reason
behind it. Later I got my initial introduction to AC-DC current and other basic electronic components from
an old electronics repairman. I believe that this long-lasting curiosity in engineering will give me the
strength to endure the most challenging journey of pursuing a Ph.D.
In 2007, I successfully completed my Secondary School Certificate examination with a GPA of 4.44/5.00.
Afterward, I got admitted to a Polytechnic Institute, where I earned a diploma in Mechanical Engineering
in 2011. During this diploma program, I have gained hands-on experience in operating machine tools such
as lathe, milling, drill press, and grinding machines, with a specific emphasis on their fundamental metal-
cutting operations. In the following year, in 2012, I got enrolled in the undergraduate program of the
Department of Industrial and Production Engineering (IPE) at the Dhaka University of Engineering and
Technology (DUET), where I deepened my understanding of both traditional and non-traditional
manufacturing processes, including Additive Manufacturing process. I successfully completed my
Bachelor's degree in 2016, achieving a CGPA of 3.80/4.00 and securing the second-highest position in my
class. This achievement has strengthened my confidence, and inspired me to pursue higher education in
Manufacturing Engineering, especially in the field of 3D printing technologies.
After successfully completing my graduate studies, I entered the professional realm as a Trainee Engineer
at Nestle Bangladesh Limited. During this tenure, I actively contributed to the manufacturing of various
mechanical components, including gears, cams, and others, while working in their mechanical workshop.
This experience not only enhanced my technical skills but also enriched my understanding of applying
theoretical concepts in practical scenarios. Involvement in this dynamic industrial environment intensified
my passion for research and reaffirmed my ambition to pursue higher education.
Since April 2017, I have been a lecturer in the Department of IPE at DUET, and currently, I am serving as
an Assistant Professor. Throughout the last five years, my active involvement has been in teaching a variety
of undergraduate courses including conventional and modern manufacturing processes, with a special
emphasis on the theory of metal cutting. I have supervised six groups of undergraduate students so far in
their thesis related to Finite Element Analysis of large-strain manufacturing processes and the application
of IIoT in manufacturing. I actively engaged with the DUET Robotics Club, serving as a trainer. My primary
responsibility was organizing and managing diverse Robot Programming competitions, providing students
with hands-on robotics experience. Over the last 5 years of teaching, I have instructed around 30 student
projects in Product Design and Development lab classes for idea development of the products
Amid the Corona pandemic, I and a group of my students embarked on an entrepreneurial journey, aiming
to develop an IIoT prototype for monitoring and controlling the water quality in a biofloc fish farming
system. We collaborated with a senior scientist from Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute to gather data
on appropriate water quality parameters for various fish species. Using these data, we calibrated the sensors
and trained the computer algorithm. The prototype has already received an award at the Annual Project
Showcasing Program organized by the DUET Innovation Society. Now we are trying to collect funds to
build a commercial version of this prototype.
In 2018, I was admitted as a part-time student in the MSc program of the Department of Mechanical
Engineering at DUET, majoring in Manufacturing Engineering. In my Master's thesis, I did Finite Element
Modeling (FEM) of turning operation in Lathe. Using FEM-generated data, I analyzed the thermo-elastic-
visco-plastic properties of the machining process of Ti-6Al-4V alloy. I used the heuristic algorithm NSGA-
II and a Machine Learning algorithm SVM to determine the optimum flow stress.
In 2020, as my inaugural research endeavor, I collaborated on a project granted by the University Grants
Commission of Bangladesh with the objective of optimizing the turning process of Titanium alloys in a
CNC Lathe which was completed successfully, marking a significant milestone in my research journey.
Through my involvement in collaborative research projects with esteemed faculty members, three research
papers have been successfully published. The titles of the papers are: "Six Sigma DMAIC Approach with
Uncertainty Quantification and Propagation in the Garments Industry", "Emergency Resource Storage
Facility Location Problem Considering Domino Effect after a Disaster", and "Electro-Mechanical Analysis
of Nanostructured Polymer Matrix Composite Filament Materials for 3D Printing Using Machine
Learning". In the first article based on my undergraduate thesis, my key contribution was in data analysis
using Minitab Software. In the second article, research to improve relief management during a disaster in
Bangladesh, I contributed to implementing the GUROBI solver from PuLP 2.7.0 LP modeler using Python.
I made a significant contribution to the design of experiments (DoE) in the third article. These experiences
have broadened my knowledge of teamwork dynamics in research and enhanced my skills in
communication and publishing scientific articles.
At the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Dr. Jose C. M. Outeiro's research has encompassed a
wide range of cutting-edge areas in manufacturing processes such as modeling, simulation, and
optimization of manufacturing processes, and Digital Twin technologies. My background and skills should
make me an excellent fit for these research areas. The opportunity to pursue my Ph.D. under Dr. Jose C. M.
Outeiro's supervision would be incredibly exciting as our research interests fit together thoroughly.
I am confident that my academic background, coupled with my research and teaching abilities, qualifies
me as an ideal candidate for the Ph.D. program in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and
Engineering Science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.