ADI Ambassador Spotlight Series: Ian Beavers
 |
Name: Applications Engineer Group: High Speed A/D Converters team Company: Analog Devices Location: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA EngineerZone: IanB |
What projects do you work on?
I work as part of a team that develops high speed analog to digital converters (ADCs). They are also generally known as semiconductors or integrated circuits (ICs). The products are usually at the leading edge of converter technology. We are typically bringing new solutions to market that have not yet existed. Our products help customers solve a technical hurdle in their system or expand their product capabilities in some way. So more often than not, they are eager to have me help them get things working.
Describe a typical day at your job?
The beginning of my day starts with reviewing and answering any overnight customer emails or phone messages from Europe and Asia. They have already started, or even finished, their business day by the time I arrive at the office.
After that, there is no typical day. Planning the rest of the day follows, based on the urgency of the emails and phone calls. Otherwise, nothing is prioritized and I wouldn’t know what to start working on first.
I am an applications engineer, which means that I help customers design ADCs into their data acquisition systems. This involves writing datasheets, documenting features, designing evaluation boards, and taking measurements in the lab. Travel consists of visiting customers, promoting new technology internally and training those in the sales field that will interact with customers on a daily basis. (Image Source: http://ow.ly/yCvSu)
There is usually some technical writing involved daily with either a product datasheet or an applications note. How can something so small require so much documentation? A product the size of a fingernail now requires a 100+ page “user manual”!
Additionally, I post technical blogs on ADI’s EngineerZone and also write technical articles for Electronic Design magazine. Feel free to send your questions to IanB on Analog Devices EngineerZone Online Technical Support Community.(Image Source: http://ow.ly/yCw2V)
How did you get started working in this field?
I was offered a co-op internship for a semester while I was in engineering school. This got me involved with semiconductors and I took a few more alternating semesters with school to finish the co-op. When I looked for full time employment, I knew that I already enjoyed this field. Since I had some practical experience in the area, the fit seemed to be there.
What is your training and education?
Besides the hands-on co-op experience over 4 semesters, I also earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at North Carolina State University at Raleigh. 120 college semester hours were enough for me at that point, so I decided to head out into the real world of electrical engineering.
After a few years as an engineer, I started getting requests from the field sales staff - “Ian, I need you to visit my customer to help win an opportunity with great GM and ASP”. I also got questions from managers like “Good product idea, Ian. But, what is the FFC and project ROI?” There seemed to be a lot of business jargon that I needed to understand.
So, I decided to get an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Now I read cash flow statements for fun in my spare time! (Image Source: http://ow.ly/yCw9d)
What skills or personal qualities are good for this job?
Does your job involve working on a particular industry or technology?
I have recently been working with Ultra-Wideband GSPS ADCs. These have a place in electrical test and measurement instrumentation, communications infrastructure, healthcare and military/aerospace markets. Since the products are at the forefront of performance, it is always interesting work.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Helping a customer solve their system problem is definitely rewarding. Training a colleague on a new technology and then having them tell me that “the light suddenly went on” and they were finally able to grasp a new, but difficult, concept is also equally rewarding. (Image Source: http://ow.ly/yCwdn) 
What changes in this field do you expect to see in the future?
As we have seen with digital semiconductor components, the race to the smallest geometry process node is insatiable. The analog side of the semiconductor market has typically lagged the digital pace in process geometry advances. I think that the pace is starting to pick up on the analog side and that gap is narrowing. Analog design teams are continuing to advance their circuits by using smaller and more advanced transistor processing to achieve even higher performance with lower power.
Are there any common misconceptions about this type of work?
New Acquaintance: “So, what do you do?”
Ian: “I am an electrical engineer.”
Acquaintance: “Oh, so you change the line over for the next shift?”
Ian: “No, not exactly.”
Acquaintance: “Then you must install electrical wires and lighting for buildings?”
Ian: “No, I work on a team that develops analog to digital converters for high speed signal acquisition systems”.
Fading Acquaintance: —Blank Stare—
Ian: “You know, like computer chips.”
Confused Acquaintance: “Oh, I see…”
Ian: “Exactly! That is what we make - ICs”
What is your advice to someone interested in this field?
I often see college seniors nearing graduation that are fixated either on analog or digital design. But, there are really many more disciplines to electrical engineering than circuit design. There is product evaluation, test development, applications support, IC and circuit board layout, marketing, assembly, quality, reliability, failure analysis, device modeling and the list goes on. Those interested in high speed electronics should be aware of all the aspects of the business and follow the path to where their passion lies.
What does your desk look like?
It is mostly neat and free of clutter with my planner and red “easy button” nearby. If some problem comes up that is just too difficult to solve, I hit the button and it gets easier…
What advice do you have for students looking to get into engineering?
You need to have a foundation in your engineering technical skillset. This involves all the math and engineering curriculum content that you learn along the way. Never stop learning in this area, as the technology continues to evolve and new systems are created that did not exist before.
Also, do not neglect the soft skills that round out a person’s capabilities. The ability to speak in front of a group, write clear messages and influence others with your ideas can sometimes take a backseat to the technical skills. However, these are just as important as the ability to mathematically solve an engineering problem.
For National Women in Engineering Day, what advice would you give young women in high school considering a career in engineering?
In order to have a strong engineering team, we need both men and women from all kinds of backgrounds to provide new ideas and solutions. Women bring a fresh and diverse approach to solving engineering problems. Just look at several large technology companies like IBM, Hewlett Packard, Lockheed Martin and Yahoo! that have women CEOs. We definitely need more women in the engineering profession.
What’s the one thing you wished you knew before starting your engineering career?
Mandarin
What’s the most frequent analog question you get?
“What is the full power input bandwidth of this ADC?”
For further reading, check out my ADI Electronic Design column on FPGA design and high-speed connectivity.
Ian Beavers is an Applications Engineer for the High Speed A/D Converters team at Analog Devices, Inc. (Greensboro, NC). He has worked for the company since 1999. Ian has over 18 years of experience in the semiconductor industry. Ian has earned a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Ian is a member of EngineerZone’s High-Speed ADC Support Community.
