December 2023
Semiconductor Design & Preparing for the Future of Chip Design
By: YC Wang (Digikey), Hector Lugo (University of Texas at El Paso), Michael Yang (University of California San Diego), Carl Whitesel (South Mountain Community College), Kevin Walseth (Digikey), Dave Paloian (Microchip), Ross Satchell (Microchip)
On December 6, 2023, ECEDHA and the ECE Foundation continued the ECE Summit Series with the session: Semiconductor Design & Preparing for the Future of Chip Design
Leaders from academia, the semiconductor industry, and ECE workforce development came together to discuss the challenges and opportunities that will affect the next generation of ECE graduates.
Keynote Speaker
- Mark Lundstrom, Chief Semiconductor Officer, Purdue University
Panel Moderator & Speaker
- Eric Breckenfeld, Director of Technology Policy & Engagement, NVIDIA
Panelists
- Krishnendu (Krish) Chakrabarty, Fulton Professor of Microelectronics, Arizona State University
- Alexander Petr, EDA Software R&D Manager, Keysight
- Kara Perry, Education & Workforce Development Co-Lead OUSD/R&E T&AM Program
Mark Lundstrom started the discussion with a keynote address about the fast-evolving landscape of semiconductor technology. He provided examples of how Purdue University is leading the charge in preparing tomorrow's engineers for the challenges and opportunities in chip design.
Purdue's initiatives aim to bridge the gap between academia and industry requirements. They launched the semiconductor degrees program, attracting students from diverse STEM backgrounds to explore careers in the semiconductor industry. This program offers a master's degree in semiconductor-related fields. Purdue offers the Scalable Asymmetric Lifecycle Engagement (SCALE) Program, which caters to the defense electronics community, they emphasize online education for working engineers and have begun revamping their Nano Hub as Chips Hub.
Dr. Lundstrom’s goal is that Purdue will strengthen awareness among students about the vast opportunities in the semiconductor industry. Industrial round tables, semiconductor nights, and collaborations with leading semiconductor companies during campus job fairs are examples of how Purdue exposes students to potential careers and provides networking opportunities.
One of the challenges brought up was an audience question about the semiconductor industry’s salary disparity when compared to other tech sectors. The higher salaries in alternative tech fields often pose a challenge in retaining semiconductor talent. Dr. Lundstrom noted the importance of factors beyond salaries, such as job fit and career preferences, in influencing career choices.
Eric Breckenfeld started the panel discussion with an exploration of AI’s expanding role in Electronic Design Automation (EDA). AI's historical progression within EDA, particularly in automating intricate tasks like placement and routing on chips, signifies a paradigm shift in design methodologies. AI is addressing complex design conundrums, notably in analog design—an arena historically challenging to automate.
Dr. Charkrabarty explained how AI uses existing data repositories of past chip designs to significantly optimize the chip design process. This process will require skilled workers who know about electrical engineering and AI. He noted, “I can see in the future we'll have. People with a conventional EE background getting trained in AI methods so that they can contribute to chip design using AI.” While it is challenging to incorporate AI-related topics into chip design education, it is important that students receive this training.
Dr. Perry focused on the SCALE program and the need for U.S. citizen students due to security clearance requirements in the defense industry. Dr. Perry is working with academics to align student education with defense industry needs, focusing on areas like radiation-hardened microelectronics and trusted AI. She shared, “We’ve proven through the SCALE model that hands-on experience is critical to the students learning…” This underscored the importance of industry collaborations at all colleges and universities. The need for more hands-on learning can be met with early exposure for students.
Alexander Petr discussed the integration of AI with optimization algorithms and the challenge of understanding different system domains. When speaking about how he looks to recruit for his team, he shared, “It is harder to teach people the semiconductor understanding and how to design chips. It is easier to teach someone who has that knowledge how to do good coding.” This serves as another example of the skills that are in demand for recent graduates.
The semiconductor industry is on an upward trajectory, projected to be trillion-dollar industry by 2030. The consensus among all the speakers the importance of collaborative action among all relevant partners. Unified efforts are essential in nurturing talent, reshaping curricula, and engaging students effectively. As industry leaders forge ahead, this will be a promising era for semiconductor innovation.
View the On-Demand Session: