Welcome to the APRIL AI Hub’s October newsletter!
The analogue world is evolving as Moore’s law continues to drive scaling, but with every new node the challenges grow sharper. Design rules multiply and verification grows heavier, marking a shift into the more-than-Moore era, where innovation is shaped not only by transistor size but also by heterogeneous integration and the growing influence of AI.
|
|
|
In my current work, I am focused on automation of full-custom design flow. The aim is to reduce the manual effort, speed up design exploration, and bring greater consistency to increasingly intricate workflows. Such progress is paving the way for AI-assisted approaches that will shape the future of circuit design. This month also brought a highlight beyond research: a cultural festival that filled APRIL with colour and energy. It was a vivid reminder that while technology drives progress, it is the spirit of community and celebration that makes the journey meaningful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
APRIL’s Second Annual Summit
|
|
|
Our Second Annual Summit will be held on Wednesday, 26th November 2025 at One Birdcage Walk. We are excited to showcase the amazing developments from our APRIL researchers, seed funding grant holders, and Google DeepMind Research Ready Interns. There will be panel discussions throughout the day focusing on: AI for Electronic Materials, Device Engineering, AI-Driven Digital Circuits Design Automation, and AI-Driven Multi-Physics Optimization for Predictive Modeling. There will also be poster sessions & demos presented by our community.
|
|
|
|
|
If you would like to book your ticket, please head over to Eventbrite to secure your place!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Passionate about AI and Electronics? The APRIL AI Hub has plenty of new opportunities to join our research team, see below!
Research Associate in AI for Electron Device Design
Closing date: 04/11/2025
Apply here!
Research Fellow in AI for Electronic Systems Modelling
Closing date: 05/11/2025
Apply here!
Research Fellow in AI for Electronics Testing and Verification Automation
Closing date: 05/11/2025
Apply here!
Research Fellow in AI for Electron Device Design
Closing date: 05/11/2025
Apply here!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
APRIL researchers were featured in the August edition of IEEE Circuits and Systems Magazine with their article titled Design Methodologies for Skyrmion-Based Circuits and Systems in AI-Driven Applications: Bi-Directional Integration. This work marks a major milestone in APRIL’s pillar on intelligent hardware systems. The article explores the transformative potential of magnetic skyrmions, topologically protected nanoscale structures, for next-generation computing. It presents a framework where AI not only drives the design of skyrmion-based systems but also benefits from their unique properties to enhance hardware efficiency.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Santhosh and the IEEE publication
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Congratulations to Dr Santhosh Sivasubramani, Mr. Kishore C., Prof Amit Acharyya, Prof Vihar Georgiev, Prof Rishad Shafik, and Prof Themis Prodromakis on this outstanding contribution to the field of AI-driven nanoelectronics!
|
|
|
|
|
|
APRIL Conversations Podcast
|
|
|
|
|
This month welcomed some exciting new podcasts on APRIL Conversations including:
“Don’t Start with the End, Live in the Moment” - Matthew Youngman, Eleni Tselepi and Eva Hita Sogorb.
For this episode, we sat down with our new PhD students to dive into how their first few weeks in Edinburgh and APRIL have been, what excites them about starting their PhD journey, and the experiences that brought them here, listen here.
“Here People Feel Like They Have a Family, They Have a Group They Belong to” - Dr Anastasia Eleftheriou.
In this special episode, we've turned the mic around to learn more about our Hub Manager, Dr Anastasia Eleftheriou, and her most memorable highlights, the challenges she's faced and what it’s really like to be at the heart of the APRIL AI Hub. Listen here!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anastasia talking with PhD students Eleni, Matt and Eva
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guardian UK University Guide 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Navratri Celebrations in APRIL
|
|
|
The APRIL team came together to celebrate Navratri, one of India’s most vibrant festivals, lights up nine nights with devotion, dance, and togetherness as we honour Goddess Durga in her many forms.
|
|
|
|
|
Each day is associated with a unique colour with deep meaning, white for purity, red for strength, blue for prosperity, yellow for joy, green for growth, grey for balance, orange for courage, peacock green for compassion, and pink for love. To celebrate the APRIL team colour-coordinated for an entire week!
|
|
|
|
|
Peacock green for compassion
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
APRIL Research Associate Dr Pratibha Verma commented: “Wearing these colours is more than a tradition; it’s a way of invoking the qualities they represent in our own lives, making Navratri a beautiful journey of faith, renewal, and unity”.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Congratulations to IAB member, Dimitra Simeonidou!
|
|
|
A huge congratulations to Dimitra Simeonidou OBE, FREng, FIEEE, one of our Independent Advisory Board members, on her OBE for services to communications technologies research and scientific policy. This is a wonderful achievement, and everyone at APRIL is grateful to have her as an advisor. We thank her for all her brilliant work, and look forward to further collaboration!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exciting Opportunities from RAEng
|
|
|
The 2026 STEM For Britain competition is now open for applications!
STEM for Britain is a major scientific poster competition and exhibition for early-stage researchers which is held in the Houses of Parliament. More details, including how to apply and the timeline of the competition can be found on their website. Applications will be open till Monday 24th November 2025.
How to Talk to Robots: Free AI Bootcamp for Engineers
How to Talk to Robots is a free, full-day bootcamp designed to help engineers explore the world of AI in a hands-on, supportive environment. Hosted at the Royal Academy of Engineering in London on 13 November, this bootcamp includes expert mentoring, all materials, catering, and an official certificate of completion. You’ll learn the essentials of AI, build real apps, explore ethical considerations, and connect with others who are just starting out — no prior experience required. Participants will be upskilled with support from OpenAI, Multiverse, FacultyAI and more. This bootcamp forms part of the development for a future BBC TV programme, where a small group of people will use AI to solve a real societal problem.
The applications for spaces are open until Friday 17 October (all engineers welcome). Spots are limited, so sign up now here!
|
|
|
