PS Please elaborate on your educational and career ambitions, your technical preparation, any honors or distinctions, and your research interests as they relate to UCSB. It is particularly useful to discuss research experiences; for each we encourage you to describe not only your contributions, but also the nature of the problem, its importance within the scientific community, and the interpretation and significance of your results. We also are interested to hear about: research publications or manuscripts in preparation (include full references), research presentations (poster or oral), advanced coursework (especially graduate courses), major awards or scholarships, involvement in professional or scientific organizations, and involvement in educational or outreach activities. GPA The minimum cumulative GPA for all applicants is 3.0. Fee All applications require a non-refundable application fee of $?105 for domestic applicants, and $125 for international applicants. No application will be processed until the application fee has been received. This fee can be paid by credit card or with a check/money order using the Check/Money Order Submission Form found on the last page of the application. RL Letters of support from (preferrably faculty) references. We advise you to secure as many of your letters as possible from tenure-track faculty, either at your home institution or at other institutions in which you have been, e.g., a summer research intern. Letters from supervisors at industrial internships or jobs are generally less informative, and you should include at most one, if any. As a courtesy to your references, we encourage you to give them at least two weeks notice, if not more, given the high demands for letters during the graduate application period. Transcript Applicant's undergraduate education and records (and MS education and record, if applicable)