For more than three decades, the Center for Design of Analog-Digital Integrated Circuits has connected university researchers and industry partners to advance innovation and develop the next generation of engineering talent across the Pacific Northwest. This center continues to build upon this experience to foster a productive environment for leading university and industry experts to tackle the latest challenges in the field.
Founded in 1989 as a National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center CDADIC has maintained its successful collaborative structure and continues to thrive. Led by Oregon State University in partnership with the University of Washington and Washington State University, CDADIC brings together world-class faculty, leading companies, and top engineering students to solve real-world challenges in analog, mixed-signal, and RF integrated circuit design.
A Collaborative Model Driving Innovation
CDADIC’s mission is simple yet innovation through close collaboration between academia and industry. This partnership model ensures that research is aligned with real-world needs while providing companies with access to cutting-edge ideas and a highly skilled talent pipeline. Each member company plays an active role in the center’s project selection. Project funds are pooled and each year members vote to select the projects to be funded.
“Our strength lies in collaboration,” said Andreas Weisshaar, CDADIC director and professor of electrical and computer engineering at Oregon State. “Industry members gain access to early-stage innovations and talent, while faculty and students benefit from industry feedback that keeps research practical and impactful.”
Over the past 35 years, CDADIC has supported over 400 projects with more than $36 million in funding, producing over 1,200 publications, 1,500 presentations, and numerous patents and technology transfers. Just as importantly, it has been critical for the education of hundreds of graduate students who now lead innovations across the semiconductor industry.
Industry Partnerships and Impact
Today, CDADIC counts many of the world’s leading technology companies among its members, including Analog Devices, Qualcomm, Rohde & Schwarz, Skyworks, Tektronix, Texas Instruments, and Tower Semiconductor. The center continually evolves to address emerging challenges and opportunities.
At the most recent CDADIC meeting in July 2025, members discussed a growing emphasis on AI-enabled circuit design and machine learning integration. Several new projects were proposed, and two new faculty researchers with strong AI expertise joined the center.
“CDADIC has always evolved with industry,” Weisshaar said. “We’re now integrating AI and data-driven methods into analog and RF circuit research, reflecting where the field is heading.”
For industry members, the benefits are caccess to cutting-edge innovations, input on project direction, and the ability to recruit students who are already trained to meet modern design and verification challenges.
“For us, a key benefit has been the students,” said Marco Gardner product line manager at Texas Instruments. “Their ability to hit the ground running means very little additional training is needed. CDADIC graduates are ready for the workforce.”
Research that Matters
CDADIC’s current portfolio of projects demonstrates the breadth of its innovation. Ongoing research topics and lead investigators includes:
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Machine Learning Inspired Cross-Talk Compensation in Wireline Links – Tejasvi Anand
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Reconfigurable, Low-Power, Low-Jitter Multi-Phase Signal Generation for Next-Gen Connectivity – Deukhyoun Heo
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Low-Power IC and Integration Approaches for Intelligent Sensor Systems – Matthew Johnston
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High-Performance Mixed-Signal Circuits in CMOS – Un-Ku Moon · A Co-design Assistant for EM Design and Development of RF Integrated Circuits – Arun Natarajan & Alireza Aghasi
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Over-Sampling Phase Noise Cancellation Phase-Locked Loop – Jacques “Chris” Rudell
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Micro-Power CMOS Interface Circuits – Gabor Temes
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Machine Learning Performance Enhancement of Data Converters – Huazheng Wang
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Modeling and Design of Passives for RF and Millimeter-Wave ICs – Andreas Weisshaar
These projects exemplify CDADIC’s forward-looking approach — bringing circuit design innovations to critical applications including sensing, communications, and intelligent systems.
Connecting People, Ideas, and Opportunity
CDADIC’s bi-annual meetings are a cornerstone of its success, providing an intimate environment where industry engineers, faculty, and students can exchange ideas, shape research directions, and build lasting relationships.
“The size of the conference is perfect for having one-on-one discussions with researchers and students,” said Rawdon Taylor digital team lead at Rohde & Schwarz.
These meetings complement the center’s regular interactions and ongoing offerings. They also serve as a culmination of several key activities, such as presenting a table of students seeking internships or full-time positions and biannually distributing student resumes.
Join the Future of Semiconductor Innovation
As the semiconductor industry faces unprecedented demand for performance, energy efficiency, and intelligent integration, CDADIC stands as a proven model for impactful collaboration and workforce development.
Companies seeking to shape the future of analog, mixed-signal, and RF technologies — while connecting directly with the region’s top engineering talent — are invited to join CDADIC’s growing community of innovators.
Learn more about CDADIC membership opportunities and upcoming events at https://cdadic.org/membership or reach out to Semi@OregonState.edu for other questions and suggestions.
Written by Emily Wadkins