The University of Saskatchewan (USask) has announced that it is to receive a gift from Siemens to advance electronic chip design software research and talent in Saskatchewan.

The University of Saskatchewan (USask) has received a significant gift from Siemens to create a tenured professor chair in the University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Engineering for research and teaching that develops local talent in the large, fast-growing industry of electronic design automation (EDA).

EDA software is used to create electronic chips, which are used in almost all modern electronic devices. Siemens’ EDA software is used by the world’s largest technology companies to make better-performing, higher-quality electronic chips more quickly. Their Saskatoon office is a center of excellence for research, development and customer applications, that employs engineers and computer scientists.

The Siemens EDA Chair, based in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, will develop and teach undergraduate and graduate courses in EDA. The chair will also supervise and mentor undergraduate research interns, master’s and PhD students, as well as visiting students and postdoctoral fellows. This will significantly advance the research and talent available in Saskatchewan to support Siemens’ growth locally.

Siemens expanded its global footprint to Saskatoon after it acquired Solido Design Automation in 2017. Solido was founded in 2005 by Amit Gupta, who graduated from USask in 1999 with degrees in both electrical engineering and computer science. Gupta is now vice president and general manager at Siemens and leads Solido’s artificial intelligence-powered products within the company.

“I am excited that Siemens is giving this gift to USask for the creation of the Siemens EDA Chair,” said Amit Gupta, vice-president, and general manager, of Custom IC Verification, Siemens Digital Industries Software. “The chair will advance EDA research and expertise of undergraduate and graduate students at USask that is critical in building the next generation of electronic devices. This will have a major impact on Saskatchewan’s technology sector.”

“The Siemens EDA Chair will greatly strengthen USask’s momentum in the development of electronic systems by providing engineers and computer scientists with the necessary skills to develop advanced software tools that design, simulate, and validate complex chips efficiently and accurately,” said Baljit Singh, vice-president research, USask.

“This investment in USask research signals the potential to create opportunities for continued growth in groundbreaking research, nurturing interdisciplinary collaborations, and cultivating the next generation of engineers and computer scientists in Saskatchewan,” he said.

“USask Engineering welcomes the gift, as it supports the college’s commitment to equipping its graduates with the skills needed by industry so they can Be What the World Needs,” said Carey Simonson, interim dean of the College of Engineering.

“Our talented USask Engineering graduates have a track record of leading and working on projects that grow the province’s economy,” he said.

“The Siemens EDA Chair will strengthen that impact by educating and training electrical and computer engineers in this fast-growing sector, which will help meet the goal of tripling the growth of the province’s technology sector by 2030, as stated in the Saskatchewan Growth Plan.”