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MSU-IIT showcases prowess in microelectronics, wins Overall Champion in Unlocked 2024 IC Design Olympics

by Kassandra Buenafe, OfCom | Oct 18 2024

More awards continue to accumulate for MSU-IIT with the victory of its BS Electronics Engineering students in the 2024 Unlocked IC Design Olympics on September 20, 2024, held at Cagayan de Oro City. 

The Unlocked 2024 is a competition that brings together undergraduate engineering students from all over the country to showcase innovative ideas in the tech industry. Aside from the Unlocked Innovation Challenge which was won by the Technological University of the Philippines (Manila), the competition also featured various activities which included panel discussions, an exhibition of the work of last year’s finalists, and the IC Design Olympics–in which Ricster Franuel Sibala, Paulinne Thiesha Baloro, and Kyle Dedoro from MSU-IIT emerged as the overall champion after bagging first places in Custom Layout and Digital Design categories. 

In an interview, the members expressed how enthusiastic they were during the whole duration of the competition. Sibala said they were excited to apply what they had learned in class. They also noted that this victory marks a significant milestone for the microelectronics field at MSU-IIT.

“...winning in two categories has given us the confidence to contribute even more to the microelectronics field MSU-IIT. By delving deeper into microelectronics and nurturing local talent, we have the potential to make significant contributions to technological progress,” Sibala said.

Dedication, perseverance, and confidence led to their triumph. Dedoro shared the challenges that the team faced. Baloro, on the other hand, said that it took a lot of practice and preparation to master the needed skills.

“One of the biggest challenges we faced was the analog design portion. Since we hadn’t covered the specific circuit and its operation during our training, we had to rely on observing how the circuit's behavior changed when adjusting certain parameters,” Dedoro said.

“We dedicated time to mastering simulation tools, conducting practice sessions with previous IC designs, and enhancing our skills in custom layout techniques. Personally, I focused on the custom layout category, as I was confident in my ability to layout designs quickly, which I knew would greatly benefit the team,” Baloro stated.

 

Their achievement was also credited to their coaches, Dr. Harreez Villaruz-Quimque and Engr. Rochelle Sabarillo-Macasero, whose guidance and expertise played a crucial role in shaping the team’s success.

“We also sought guidance from our professors and research assistants, whose advice on layout techniques proved invaluable during the competition,” Baloro added. 

This outstanding achievement further cements MSU-IIT's reputation as a hub of excellence in engineering, innovation, and technological advancement, reinforcing its commitment to producing world-class talent.

[Photos from Paui Baloro’s Facebook profile]

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