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Kevin G. Gard

 

Adjunct Assistant Professor of ECE

North Carolina State University

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

kevin_gard@ncsu.edu

 

Education

University of California San Diego, Ph. D. in Electrical Engineering. December, 2003.

North Carolina State University, M.S. in Engineering (Electrical). December, 1995.

North Carolina State University, B.S. in Electrical Engineering. May, 1994.

Durham Technical Community College, A.A.S. in Electronics Engineering Technology. March, 1987.

Work

Experience

ST Ericsson, Research Triangle Park, NC, January 2009 – December 2009.

RFIC Design Engineer

·        Designed eight input LNA in 90nm CMOS for a WEDGE UMTS receiver.

·        Optimized balun design to increase LNA gain and decrease current consumption by 40%.

·        Designed single inductor input matching networks for each band.

·        Designed supply independent (1.2V-1.8V) programmable bandgap and PTAT bias circuit.

·        Analyzed and modeled inductors, baluns, interconnections and package using planar EM simulator (ADS Momentum).

 

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C., January 2004 – July 2009.

William J. Pratt Assistant Professor

·        Research and teach in the field of analog and radio frequency (RF) integrate circuit design for high speed communication systems.

·        Analysis of interactions between communication signals and nonlinear circuits.  Developed autocorrelation and statistical analysis techniques for studying the distortion power spectrum generated by signals applied to behavioral models of nonlinear circuits.

·        Teaching ECE711 Analog Electronics and ECE792X Integrated Circuits for Wireless Communications (Graduate special topics course).

 

Qualcomm Inc., San Diego CA, January 1996 – September 2003.

Staff RFIC Design Engineer and Manager

·        Line manager responsible for supervising four design engineers. Conducted biannual performance reviews.

·        Lead design/project engineer for a SiGe BiCMOS direct conversion dual band transmitter RFIC for AMPS, CDMA, PCS, and WCDMA applications.  The design includes direct conversion upconverter, RF VGA, CELL and PCS band driver amplifiers, TX PLL, TX VCO, and RX PLL.  Developed and evaluated direct conversion transmitter architecture in three different silicon technologies.  Oversaw a team of five design engineers.  Designed and modeled integrated copper spiral inductors.  Participated in test plan development and test board designs.

·        Designed a dual band quadrature local oscillator buffer as part of an image rejection upconverter mixer using a BiCMOS technology.  Provided engineering support for transitioning the chip into production.  Designed PCB test boards, matching networks, assisted with die probing for failure analysis, and developed measurement techniques for characterizing the RF performance of the part.  This design is in high volume production with over 85 million devices delivered to customers.

·        Designed an 830 MHz stepped gain driver amplifier integrated circuit for driving cellular FM/CDMA handset power amplifiers using a GaAs MESFET technology.

·        Assisted in the design and development of a GaAs MESFET broadband upconverter integrated circuit for use in cellular and PCS dualband CDMA handsets.  This chip design was used in over 10 million CDMA phones.

·        Designed integrated spiral inductors and transformers in a BiCMOS technology.

 

Ericsson Inc., Research Triangle Park, N.C., Summer and Fall 1995.

Intern Electrical Engineer

·        Researched active inductor and Q enhancement circuits for use in integrated microwave filters.

·        Characterized and tested components for use in cellular telephone designs.

 

Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh, N.C., Summer 1993 and Spring/Summer 1994.

Intern Electrical Engineer

·        Designed a broadband optical receiver to convert an optical cable television signal to an electrical signal suitable for driving a cable distribution network.

·        Designed a buffer amplifier and a filter circuit for use in a fiber optic communication system.

 

Millidyne Inc., Raleigh, N.C., 1987-1991.

RF Electronic Technician II

·        Assisted in the development of VHF and UHF pager receivers.

·        Constructed prototypes of pager receivers and digital logic circuit designs.

·        Served on an employee recreation committee.

 

Amp Supply Co., Raleigh, N.C., 1985-1987.

Test Technician and Service Manager

·        Final production test of high frequency (1MHz – 30MHz) vacuum tube amplifiers.

·        Service manager responsible for customer service and amplifier repair.

 

Consulting Experience

Analog Devices, Raleigh, NC Summer 2008.

 

Professional

Membership

1993-94 Chairperson IEEE NCSU Student Branch.

2007 Secretary of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques society.

IEEE member since 1990. Member of the Microwave Theory and Techniques and the Solid-State Circuits technical societies.

Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society. Eta Kappa Nu Electrical Engineering Honor Society.  Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society.

Activities

Advanced class radio amateur operator, call sign KJ4PD.

Amateur musician – guitar (electric and acoustic blues, rock, and jazz).

Amateur photography