Bohong Xu gained hands-on experience in analog and power-management circuit design and validation at Renesas Electronics in San Jose California this summer, where he worked as an Analog Engineering Intern.
Xu, who is in his second year of the EE master’s program, found the internship experience invaluable. “I had the opportunity to work on real engineering problems within an industry environment,” Xu says. In this capacity, Xu “worked on level-shifting circuits for power-management applications and used industry-standard simulation tools such as Cadence Virtuoso and SIMPLIS to evaluate circuit performance across different operating conditions,” Xu explains.
According to Xu, his internship experience “helped me understand how concepts from coursework translate into real-world engineering design and how engineers balance performance, robustness, and practical design constraints.” Subsequently, it provided him with an enhanced “understanding of the semiconductor product development process and the importance of systematic testing and validation.”
As Xu reflects on the benefits of the internship at Renesas Electronics, he emphasizes the significance of applying what he learned at Penn to an actual semiconductor design project. “It gave me a much clearer understanding of the gap between academic problem-solving and engineering a product that must operate reliably across a wide range of conditions. I also appreciated learning from experienced engineers and gaining a better sense of the skills I want to continue developing as I begin my engineering career.”
When Xu isn’t working, he enjoys boxing, basketball, working out, hiking, and traveling. “I especially enjoy exploring national parks and spending time outdoors”