Yashodharma Parthaje embraces challenges while seeking opportunities for growth

Parthaje shares his interest in analog design, the challenges of his research experience, and his search for opportunities to learn and contribute 

Doctoral candidate Yashodharma Bhat Parthaje’s interest lies in analog design and he is currently wrapping up his research under the guidance of Professor Ramesh Harjani. Parthaje’s pathway to and through the ECE graduate program has been unconventional, not to mention accompanied by a few bumps in the road. In this conversation, Parthaje shares with us how it all came about and where he is headed next. 

How it all started

Growing up in India, I was surrounded by engineers. I have older cousins who are engineers and my father is an engineering professor, and they shaped my interest. I ended up earning my undergraduate degree from Manipal Institute of Technology in Electronics and Communication Engineering. At some point in my junior year, I developed a liking for analog design and began dreaming about a master's degree in the area. That took me to Arizona State University (ASU) in 2010 for the master’s program in electrical engineering with a focus on mixed signal design. But my first few months at ASU were an emotional struggle. I was 23, but terribly homesick, and I spent a lot of time on the phone talking to my family in India. My mother began to worry that some day she might find me at her door with my bags! But eventually I settled in and began enjoying my classes. I toyed with the idea of earning a Ph.D. but ended up joining Texas Instruments (TI) after earning my master’s degree from ASU. I worked with TI as an Analog Design Engineer, but with the Ph.D. bug eating away at my brain I knew that one day I would go back to school to earn it. 

I married Neeti Narayan in 2016 while she was pursuing her Ph.D. at SUNY Buffalo. She graduated in 2018 and began working in the Bay Area, and I left TI later that year—after more than six years with the company—to join her in California. Although my experience in TI was rich and formative, I decided to pursue a Ph.D. to re-engage with research and advance my technical capabilities. I began applying to several universities, and reached out directly to Professor Ramesh Harjani here in ECE. Professor Harjani was generous with his time. He interviewed me and ultimately offered me a position in his research group, and I am grateful for the opportunity. I believe that over the past six years, I have acquitted myself well under his guidance.  

The first few months were very trying as Neeti was working in California, and I was in Minnesota. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a challenging and uncertain time overall, but Neeti getting a job that allowed her to work remotely meant that we could stay together in Minneapolis. Being together was a relief. 

My research experience

The experience helped me appreciate both the unpredictability and the potential for breakthroughs that defines academic research.

My research experience has been both rewarding and challenging. I have had the opportunity to learn continuously, deepening and broadening my understanding beyond what industry experience often offers. Research pushes you into new territory, requiring persistence and creativity.

When I joined Professor Harjani’s research team, I took charge of a project from a graduating student. It was a DARPA project, and the work was heavily focused on digital design. It was a tough transition for me as I had little experience in the digital domain, but I was eager to learn. Despite my best efforts my first tape-out was disappointing. 

My next project focused on developing a proof of concept for a prior project undertaken by our team. It was another challenging endeavor, and our efforts culminated in a paper marking a significant milestone and giving me my first real taste of success. As part of presenting our work, I had the opportunity to attend a conference. It was inspiring to learn from other brilliant presenters and gain insight into the cutting-edge work being done in the field.

That initial experience was significant in many ways. I learned a lot about research, and about myself. I have always felt that certain people are naturally gifted with a killer instinct. For me, it was something I developed through my experiences. I am glad that I made the decision to pursue the Ph.D. program!

I then went on to work on another DARPA project called MAX. The project’s objective was to design high-precision, low-power analog correlators that could operate in the frontend of sensor systems, replacing the need to offload raw data to the cloud for software-based correlation. This would reduce latency, increase energy efficiency, and enable faster, real-time decision-making in the field. It was a technically ambitious and intellectually stimulating problem with many practical implications. Working with an industry collaborator, we were required to provide weekly progress updates—a challenging cadence in the context of the uncertain and iterative nature of academic research where meaningful progress may unfold over longer timelines.

Although the team was deeply committed, the technical complexity proved greater than anticipated, and progress began to fall behind schedule. We communicated these challenges to DARPA, and while our industry partner initially decided to withdraw the project from us (while retaining us as consultants), they soon encountered the same difficulties and three months later requested that we take it back. By then the tape-out deadline was close, making recovery difficult. Nonetheless, we resumed work but shortly afterward, DARPA made the decision to cancel the project. While this outcome was disappointing, the experience offered valuable lessons in collaborative research, technical risk, and resilience. It also underscored an important distinction: research is fundamentally a high-risk, high-reward endeavor. The experience helped me appreciate both the unpredictability and the potential for breakthroughs that defines academic research.

My internship experiences

I undertook two internships in 2021 and 2022. In 2021 I had the opportunity to work at Qualcomm, where I gained insight into the design and optimization of DC-DC switching converters. The experience allowed me to apply my theoretical knowledge to real-world power management challenges and enhanced my understanding of energy efficiency and performance trade-offs in hardware design. The following summer I interned at TDK Invensense where I worked on sigma-delta analog-to-digital Converters (ADCs). This role involved understanding the intricacies of high-precision signal conversion and working with cutting-edge sensor technologies. Both internships enriched my practical skills, bridging the gap between academic research and industry applications, and reinforced my passion for tackling complex technical challenges.

Particularly significant challenges

[E]ven when research projects shift or stall, there are still ways to contribute, learn, and grow.

One of the most significant challenges has been the process of publishing research. In analog/mixed-signal IC design, meaningful publications typically require working silicon—functioning chips that go through a full cycle of design, simulation, tape-out, fabrication, and testing. This process can easily take 18–24 months for a single iteration, making the pace of output quite different from other fields. In my case, despite putting in significant effort and making technical progress, a couple of early designs did not result in successful publications.

The DARPA funded project was an exciting and technically challenging opportunity with real-world impact potential. However, with the complexity proving greater than anticipated, and the project subsequently being cancelled was very disappointing. The cancellation led to two funding disruptions within a short span—first during the transition and again when the project was eventually discontinued. As an international student, this period brought added uncertainty, but I was fortunate to have the support of Professor Harjani and Professor Jarvis Haupt (ECE’s Assistant Department Head), who ensured continuity through teaching assistantships. It was a valuable reminder that even when research projects shift or stall, there are still ways to contribute, learn, and grow.

In hindsight the DARPA MAX project was a pivotal learning experience that fundamentally broadened my perspective as a designer. It taught me the realities of high-impact research, where innovation often involves navigating uncertainty and adapting quickly to evolving problems. It also emphasized the importance of clear communication and alignment across all stakeholders to ensure shared understanding of expectations and deliverables. 

Looking back, while it might appear that my publication count does not fully reflect the time invested, I see those years as a period of deep learning and technical maturity. I gained hands-on experience with full-chip design cycles, industry-academic collaboration, and managing complex technical and logistical challenges. These lessons, though not always visible on paper, have equipped me well for both research and industry roles moving forward. 

About my dissertation

Prior to the DARPA MAX project, my focus as an analog design engineer was primarily at the block level; I concentrated on ensuring my individual circuits worked flawlessly. However, through this project and the guidance of Professor Harjani, I began to approach problems from a system-level viewpoint. I was encouraged to understand how each block fits into and interacts with the larger architecture, and how the system behaves. This shift in thinking has had a direct influence on my dissertation. The insights I gained from considering system-level performance, integration challenges, and design trade-offs have shaped my current research direction.

My experience as a teaching assistant

Being a teaching assistant (TA) can sometimes be quite hectic in terms of preparing for the class/lab in addition to my own research and coursework. But I have begun to appreciate and enjoy teaching and working with students. I have been a TA for EE 2115, 3005, 3006, and 3102. EE 3005 and 3006 are particularly interesting as they are for non-ECE students who are being trained to look at electrical engineering from the perspective of concepts, terminology and design, and to help them communicate with electrical engineers.

Looking ahead 

I am hoping to graduate in the 2025 fall semester. I feel happy and blessed to have joined the University where I gained valuable lessons from professors and colleagues, and learned how to conduct research and appreciate the unique rewards it offers. I am looking forward to a career centered around research and perhaps work in an industry-oriented research lab.

Ramesh Harjani is the Edgar F. Johnson Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research interests include analog/RF circuits for wireless and wired communications, sensor interface electronics, and low-power analog circuit design.