UKESF Scholar Impresses Qualcomm

UKESF Scholar Impresses Qualcomm

UKESF scholar Andrew is studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Southampton and is sponsored by Qualcomm. During his summer work placement, Andrew made a significant contribution to the project he was assigned, and his line manager and colleagues were extremely impressed by his work ethic and positive attitude.

Robert McCubbin, Senior Director of Chip Implementation at Qualcomm Technologies International Ltd, said, “Andrew’s work is likely to have a big impact on the productivity of some of the engineers by automating some of the stages of an activity that can often consume a lot of time. He was able to pick up new skills quickly and work very effectively and efficiently across multiple technical disciplines, which enabled him to bring several technical threads together and make his work valuable. He tackled the project in a very proactive and independent way, and got on well with his team.”

Fun and freedom to explore during work placement

Andrew said, “I had great fun working on chip implementation for Qualcomm over the summer. It was my job to build a flexible workflow to implement digital blocks of integrated circuits. This was a really interesting task – I was given freedom to explore every stage of the design process, and learn how it all worked. It was very useful for me to see how chips are designed in an industrial context, with Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools.

“Before my placement at Qualcomm, I had experience of programming and scripting, but not in an EDA context. It was challenging at times to figure out the niceties of the EDA tools, and to keep compatibility between different tools throughout the workflow. I found everyone in the office was friendly and happy to answer my questions, so I was never stuck for too long!”

Industry experience gives new perspective

Geoff Merrett, Associate Professor at the University of Southampton, commented, “It’s great to hear that Andrew has made such a well-received contribution during his placement, and also that he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The UKESF scholarships are a fantastic opportunity for all of our students to build links with potential employers, but also to see the knowledge and skills that they’re learning at university put into practice!”

Following his summer placement, Andrew is now keen to pursue a career in Electronics: “The industrial experience has given me a new perspective on the material I am taught in lectures, and I would thoroughly recommend applying for a UKESF scholarship to anyone who is eligible.” The UKESF gives undergraduates the opportunity to add to their academic studies with summer placements at leading Electronics companies through the Scholarship Scheme.

Qualcomm Incorporated is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other.