What Shenbagaraman says about the Master's in Embedded Electronics Engineering

Shenbagaraman Ramakrishnan, alumnus of the programme (2020), working as a data scientist at Ericsson in Stockholm

How did you find your job and how long did it take?

“In my opinion, LinkedIn is the best place to get all the information regarding your favourite/future jobs in one place. I think that the most important thing after a job application is to follow up with a formal email, iterating your interest in the role to the contact provided. The time all these processes take depends on different aspects. In my case, it took three months to find my current employment.” 

What is your favourite thing about your job?

"Working on artificial intelligence and its respective acceleration on dedicated hardware. Developing AI accelerators is my favourite activity. I love doing that at work.”

How are you changing the industry or the world?

“The development of specialised hardware platforms is key to the future of AI. It transforms the computing capabilities all the way from cloud to the edge realms. For instance, all the AI processing could be done locally on your smartphones, surveillance cameras, autonomous vehicles, etc. As a result, the communication overhead is reduced, delivering significant real-time performance. Besides, dedicated hardware optimises efficient energy and resource utilisation.”

What was especially useful about the programme that you now use in your everyday work?

“In my current project, I am exploring AI hardware accelerators. The knowledge gained from the VLSI design, Computer Architecture, Machine learning, and Embedded System Design courses was critical, in particular for project development. The practical expertise from the University on working with Xilinx and Cadence toolchains, as well as FPGA prototyping techniques, enhances my everyday workflow.”

Do you get any practical experience from lab work in the programme?

“The main highlight of the Master’s coursework is the practical, hands-on approach to the theoretical concepts. All the courses included compulsory lab assignments. These tasks were very intriguing and helped a great deal to understand the specific subjects. Besides, there is a cool mandatory project course that illustrates the complete development process of an integrated chip design from ideation to verification.”

How international was your programme?

“It was very international. All the discussions and teaching were done in English only. The classroom was so diverse, with people coming from all around the globe. Working with people from multiple backgrounds surely broadened my research interests, while I also gained insight into different cultures, and improved my interpersonal skills!”

What do you miss most from your time at Lund University/LTH?

“I definitely miss all my friends and some professors at LTH. I miss the classroom atmosphere and the brainstorming discussions with classmates and teaching staff. Also, I sometimes miss the labs and thesis room on the fourth floor of the E-building – they were like a second home!”

Do you have any advice for prospective students coming to Lund?

“The coursework primarily focuses on System-On-Chip design. The software stream of embedded systems is not engaged in this Master’s coursework. If you are obsessed with digital or analog IC design, computer architecture, and low-level programming, then this course is ideal for your deep diving journey. Most importantly, have fun!”