Aeronautical Engineering Personal Statement

Belgium, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, 1998. A heavy rain was falling on the Formula One cars placed on the starting grid. A difficult track and a horrible weather were the right ingredients to make a 9 years old boy fell in love with an amazing sport. The chaos of the first start caused by a twelve cars collision, the restart, the safety car, the several overtakes, the twists and the victory of an underdog contributed to one of the greatest Formula One Grand Prix of all time. It was thrilling and I couldn't take my eyes off the television. Driven by the naïvety of the age, I decided to surprise my dad improving his Fiat Uno with a paper rear wing. It was certainly difficult for him to explain to me that the car was not going to go any faster

In order to gain a deeper knowledge in the field of aerodynamics, I undertook my postgraduate studies in Aeronautical Engineering with a strong focus on fluid mechanics modules. During my Master’s degree studies, I have developed a critical and analytical thinking as well as strong problem-solving skills in each of the main fields of aerodynamics engineering: low-speed aerodynamics, compressible aerodynamics, instability and turbulence, computational fluid dynamics and experimental fluid dynamics. Through academic projects and case studies, I have improved my learning capabilities as well as my communication skills by means of oral and written reports of my works. Because of the tight deadlines, these projects have also taught me the importance of learning quickly and being flexible in my approach. Moreover, I was in charge of a students team operating in the experimental facility, establishing work schedules and leading the maintenance of the equipment, developing a great sense of teamwork and

I quickly overcame the initial despondency and considered it as an opportunity and not a threat. During this period, I spent my time improving my English skills and reading articles and books about race car aerodynamics with a particular focus on the influence of the downforce. In the end of the healing process, I was left with no lasting effects of the injury and a stronger desire to achieve my life