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Merhawi Redda ’05 of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is conducting research to significantly shorten the time it takes to design computer microprocessors.
Redda, an electrical and computer engineering major with a minor in East Asian religions, is working alongside John Nestor, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, through Lafayette’s distinctive EXCEL Scholars Program, in which students assist faculty with research while earning a stipend. Lafayette is a national leader in undergraduate research. Many of the more than 160 students who participate in EXCEL each year go on to publish papers in scholarly journals and/or present their research at conferences.
Redda’s approach is to simplify microprocessor design by improving the design of computer hardware.
“Merhawi and I are devising a more efficient way to connect the various layers of microprocessor chips,” explains Nestor. “Chips are designed using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) routing tools which search for a set of connections between the modules of an integrated circuit. We usually solve this problem through a process called maze routing. The goal of maze routing is to find the shortest paths between connection points in a grid graph, while keeping in mind that one connection my block others.”
For more than 40 years, the classic algorithm used for maze routing has been the Lee Algorithm.
“The problem with the Lee Algorithm is that it requires large amounts of time,” says Nestor. To address this problem, Nestor and Redda are working to create a hardware accelerator.
“Designing microprocessors is a very complex process,” says Redda. “One single microprocessor can have thousands of components — transistors, resistors, capacitors, and the like. With thousands of components, the routing process takes large amounts of time. Our research aims to significantly reduce the routing time by designing hardware to speed up the process.”
Redda was encouraged to participate in EXCEL after taking a class with his mentor last fall. He is quick to credit Nestor with being extremely helpful. “He is always there to answer my questions and explain everything in detail,” he says. “Working with Dr. Nestor has been both enjoyable and educational.
He adds that this type of student-professor relationship is not uncommon at Lafayette.
“Lafayette provides the perfect atmosphere for conducting undergraduate research,” he says. “The facilities are excellent, and the professors are always available to help students.”
Last year, Nestor received the John A. Curtis Award from the American Society for Engineering Education for presenting the best paper at the Computers in Education Division session of its 2002 annual conference. He has mentored numerous students in significant research, including Oliver Bowen ’05 (Johannesburg, South Africa), who recently worked on simplifying a complex computer language, Verilog.
Redda is a member of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers and is vice president and telecommunications chair of the National Society of Black Engineers. He is a volunteer at the Landis Community Outreach Center and also plays intramural sports.
As a national leader in undergraduate research, Lafayette sends one of the largest contingents to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research each year. Over the past decade, an average of 34 Lafayette students have been invited to present results from research with faculty mentors, or under their guidance, at the conference. Forty-two students have been accepted to present their work at the next annual conference in April.