Sohail Nadimi was among the first cohort of doctoral students in Computer Science (CS) at BCOE. After earning his PhD, Nadimi continued at UC Riverside as a post-doctoral researcher. Since then, he has worked as a Senior Systems Design Engineer at KLA+, an international semiconductor manufacturing company headquartered in Milpitas, Calif. 

In this latest Career Corner Q&A, Nadimi reflects on his time at BCOE in what was a small but mighty CS department, how he stays motivated in his career and predictions for the future of the computing industry.

What is your favorite memory of being a Computer Science and Engineering student at BCOE?

I have many wonderful memories to share. In 1994 when I joined UCR as graduate student I was among the first group of doctoral students in Computer Science. It was an era when the computer industry, high tech and Silicon Valley had begun to blossom. There were only about 6,400 students in total at UCR, and a fraction of that were in Computer Science. Because of the low faculty to student ratio, it was almost like having a second family; everybody knew each other by name. We developed a great personal relationship with our professors and mentors. 

One unique experience and a favorite memory is my first quarter as a teaching assistant. Through teaching younger students, I was able to learn and find a different perspective. It provided me the opportunity to solidify my own knowledge and realize how much I enjoyed teaching others. I even received the best TA of the year award!

Another favorite memory is of my fellow students and professors. We started the first soccer team, appropriate named “Non-deterministic Scoring Machine.” It did not matter whether we were beginners or experts in soccer, as we had many people in both categories. We were a group of geeks with a passion. So, we joined other clubs, and participated in intramural activities and competitions. We had undergraduates, graduates, faculty and staff on the team. I think we even won a cup once!

How would you describe your experience at BCOE? What lessons did you take away from it? 

School was intense, the department was still maturing and I remember many sleepless nights preparing for either my TA classes, homework, research projects or helping move into the new buildings. Our program required a vast amount of mastery of almost every subfield in computer science before advancing to candidacy. It took a toll on all of us and I can say some individuals left or settled with a master’s degree. It was tense and much was required of doctoral students in CS. 

The department learned from our experiences and updated their requirements and curriculum. Although there was a time I almost gave up, UCR showed me that persistence and hard work pays off. I am always thankful that my UCR education provided me with a vast amount of knowledge and expertise in my field. It was unique in that way at the time. At UCR, we learned many subjects, and covered almost the entire field of computer science.

How did you find your position at KLA+?

Good question! After finishing my doctorate, I was offered a postdoctoral position at the UCR Center for Research in Intelligent Systems or (CRIS) and VISLab (Visualization and Intelligent Systems Lab) led by my advisor Professor Bir Bhanu. I enjoyed the work and it was probably one of the best times in my academic life. While working as a post-doc, another alumnus of the lab, Songnian Rong, who had graduated with a master’s degree about the same time as I had joined UCR, was the head of the Image Computer Group at KLA. He approached my advisor and shared some job openings at KLA. Songnian recruited me. Later, I went through the grueling interview process with KLA that was necessary because of the intense and unique position of responsibility. I joined KLA and have been with the company ever since. This success story illustrates the importance of meeting alumni and keeping connections with BCOE. 

What are the most important professional and technical skills an engineer should develop to have a successful career?

It goes without saying, you won’t get a job if you have no technical skills. UCR is a great place to get exposed to variety of subjects and receive world-class training. After 10 years at UCR, I was probably the longest PhD student in UCR’s history. I have no regrets. I was curious and wanted to poke into different subjects. I learned a lot about many subjects. This helped me gain a solid and wide background and prepared me for a good career. Don’t expect to get a job in exactly what you study. Learn and expose yourself to variety of subjects. That enables you to be more flexible and find better and more opportunities.

No matter what you do for work, you will need to interact with people. Good communication skills and knowing how to treat your colleagues goes a long way in your career.

Finally, keep learning. You never know where life will take you. It could be that unique, single course you took that you never thought would amount to anything, that you end up using for the rest of your life.

As a Senior System Design Engineer, what are the top industry trends you’re seeing when it comes to engineering career paths?

Systems are becoming more complex, and technology is advancing all the time. I see demand in both hardware and software engineering. When I think about history, I see the industrial revolution of the 1800s, the factory automation of the early 1900s then space technology, followed by invention of transistor which later helped development of the personal computer (PC) that spurred the computer industry. There was the era of the internet, and web, which exploded into the dot com era of the 1990s. 

Another revolution happened in communication and wireless technology with the mobile technology and smart phones changing the fabric of the society. Now there is a trend toward artificial intelligence and a dream of AI approaching human-like capabilities. With new and faster chips, integrated circuits, quantum computations, and advances in math and other sciences, I think we are approaching solutions for many difficult problems and questions that have been posed throughout human history. The industry, in my opinion, is moving toward using nature to learn, mimic and make technology blend with humans and become more human-like.

You have been at KLA+ now for 16 years. What is the best thing about your company and what keeps you motivated to be there?

Honestly, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would work for a semiconductor company, let alone a company no one had heard about. As I gradually learned about what KLA does, and in the big scheme of things where we fit in, I became very proud of my work. I learned that almost every device, whether it be electronics used in your vehicle, vacuum cleaner, TV, mobile phone, computer, microwave oven, and millions of other products, are all related to our products at KLA. I learned that KLA is a unique company at the forefront of many advances and technologies. 

I also get to play with the very latest technology whether is a top-of-the-line server, or CPU’s and next-generation GPU’s, we are always pushing the limit. Every day, I am working on a challenging issue or trying to solve a new problem. It is exciting to be in the forefront of the technology that drives society and the world. The other aspect of my work is the people I work with. KLA has great people, great management and great future! It is a very exciting place to work.