Apple Engineers Visit Columbia EE for Tech Talk, Career Insights, and Hands-On Guidance

On September 27, Apple engineers visited Columbia Engineering’s Electrical Engineering Department for an engaging afternoon of career-building activities. The event featured a tech talk on the different types of hardware roles, an insightful Q&A panel discussion, and personalized resume reviews with one of the visiting engineers.

Joao Cerqueira (EE PhD '19), now a senior engineer on Apple’s Hardware Technologies team, provided valuable advice on how students can leverage the department's labs and educational resources to prepare for a successful career in tech. In his talk, Dr. Cerqueira highlighted key SEAS courses, such as Computer Architecture, Machine Learning, and Circuit & Logic Design, for students looking to specialize in these cutting-edge fields.

“Our goal was to show the critical role of hardware in technology today to EE students. The opportunities for innovation in hardware-related careers have never been greater, and we want to inspire students to be part of this exciting journey,” says Cerqueira. 

Dr. Cerqueira received his B.S. degree with honors in Electronic Engineering from the University of Brasilia, Brazil, in 2014 before joining Columbia University’s VLSI Design Lab for his graduate studies. His PhD thesis focused on ultra low leakage, energy efficient digital integrated circuit and system design, and in 2017, he received the prestigious Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship (QInF). Since graduating in 2019, he has been a member of Apple's Hardware Technologies team.

“In the presentation, I talked about the chip design cycle, emphasizing the diverse roles involved and the skills required for each. This helps students understand where they might best fit within the entire process,” Cerqueira says. 

The event also underscored the strong partnership between Columbia’s EE department and Apple. EE Professor Peter Kinget, who teaches the Apple-sponsored EE6350 VLSI Design Lab course, shared updates on the ongoing fabrication of student-designed chips using 65nm CMOS process technology with Apple engineers. The lab, which focuses on the design, layout, simulation, tapeout, bring-up, and validation of integrated circuit (IC) designs, has seen fabrication and packaging support from Apple since 2022. Apple engineers mentor students during the course, helping with design reviews and even awarding prizes for the best projects.

“The EE department offers an array of courses that provide a strong foundation for students interested in hardware, covering both digital and analog domains. For instance, in EE6350 VLSI Design Lab, students gain hands-on experience by designing, implementing, and validating a chip from start to finish,” Cerqueira says.

Jennifer Lee, Director of Career Placement and External Relations, emphasized the importance of such industry partnerships. "Apple Hardware Day is one of our most popular and largest career events that my team and I plan each year, offering students direct access to engineers and hiring managers who provide invaluable guidance on how to prepare for a career in hardware engineering as well as insights into what it takes to succeed. This has truly been a great partnership "

The event marks a continued effort by the department to foster connections between students and industry leaders, preparing them for exciting careers in electrical engineering.