Scholar Profile –
Lewis

What appeals to you about Electronics?

Electronics is fundamentally a hugely varied industry, but as soon as you look deeper, everything is very interconnected. This means that if you’re interested in digital, analog, hardware or software, there’s almost always something that you can learn from the study of Electronics. I have always been very interested in pure software, but it is the study of Electronics that provides the context to be able to implement and understand much more exciting applications of software.

Why did you want a scholarship with Embecosm?

Embecosm provides compilers and toolchains for hardware companies, which aligned perfectly with my interest in the boundary between hardware and software. In terms of the experience I could gain from my placement, I was really excited to learn more about how a large and complex piece of software such as a compiler is designed and how it all fits together.

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

I have been implementing, testing and fixing various aspects of C and C++ compilers for embedded targets, mainly focusing on the backend. The backend transforms a simplified intermediate language into optimal machine code for the processor, which could mean minimising the amount of instruction memory needed, the execution time of the program or even the energy usage. I have also attended two international conferences on the topic of compilers (GNU Tools Cauldron) and open source hardware design (OrConf).

What are your interests outside of work?

In my spare time I do a lot of cycling, whether it is training, racing or just enjoying the ride.