Scholar Profile – Kreesha

Which area of Engineering are you interested in and why?

I’m interested in Electronics, specifically firmware and embedded software engineering. I value how a lot of emphasis in firmware is placed on reference to a well-defined requirements doc, ensuring traceability, timing and performance constraints. I also really like how firmware engineers are able to spend time in the lab testing and working directly with hardware, as well as designing low-level code in unique HDL languages like VHDL and verilog.

Why did you want a scholarship with Collins Aerospace?

In Year 12, I took part in the Industrial Cadets Gold Project, where my team was sponsored and mentored by Collins Aerospace. The experience gave me an insight into the company’s goals, and led me to do my own research on the field of power electronics in the aerospace
field. I valued the opportunity to gain real industry experience in the aerospace field, a sector that’s always been cutting-edge and fast-growing.

What type of work have you been involved with during your placement?

In my first placement, I worked with the firmware team, developing my VHDL skills. I used industry software to simulate RTLs and testbenches, as well as synthesizing and implementing onto the FPGA. I was introduced to the structure and design of FSMs and creating test signals for DACs, and also different VHDL security principles (one-hot encoding, bit overflow protection.) In my second placement, I spent my time on Embedded Software, coding a Control card with a Digital Signal Processing chip. I worked on ADC and low pass filter coding using C programming through extensive reference to a technical manual. Aside from my time in the office, I also attended the Centre for Power Electronics Annual Conference 2024 and 2025 as an intern delegate, fostering my interest of the Electronics field outside of work.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I love baking – my favourite thing to bake is macarons and it’s taken me a while to get good at making them. I also like to bake madeleines and choux pastry like eclairs.