For many engineers, the most comfortable place to be is behind the scenes, far away from the spotlight of consumer marketing and public presentations. The work of developing complex semiconductor technology is typically characterized by long hours at a computer screen, meticulous simulations, and quiet dedication in a laboratory setting. Yet, for Preethi Ashwath, stepping out of the shadows and onto center stage has become an increasingly natural extension of her engineering career. As an analog integrated circuit designer within the consumer electronics division at Analog Devices in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Ashwath has learned not only how to build the foundational microchips that power modern gadgets, but also how to articulate their value directly to the public.
Ashwath occupies a notable position within a specialized and historically male-dominated discipline. According to data from the career platform Zippia, women make up approximately 11 percent of the workforce in analog design engineering. Operating within this niche, Ashwath has steadily built a reputation for technical excellence, culminating in recognition such as Analog Devices’ 2014 Impact Award for her exceptional work on a critical project with significant cross-functional business impact. However, her contributions extend well beyond her day-to-day schematic designs and circuit simulations. By embracing public speaking opportunities, technical writing, and industry event demonstrations, she has bridged the gap between microscopic hardware and the end-user experience.
Her journey into the public eye began in earnest when she stepped out from behind the scenes to meet with attendees at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. There, she did not merely talk about abstract electrical currents or voltage thresholds; she demonstrated cutting-edge earbuds developed by Analog Devices designed to track a user’s heart and lung health through subtle vibrations in the ear canal. The positive reception she received—and her innate ability to explain intricate engineering concepts in clear, accessible terms—convinced company leadership to select her as a representative for other high-profile industry events.
Discovering Circuit Design at Intel
Ashwath’s path to becoming a prominent analog designer and industry communicator began thousands of miles away from Massachusetts. Growing up in Bengaluru, India, she first encountered the world of electronics engineering through her high school physics tutor. That initial introduction sparked a curiosity that prompted her to select electronics as one of her core courses during her final years in school. At the time, her older sister was already pursuing an engineering degree, providing a close-up look at what the profession entailed. Between her burgeoning interest in electronics and the precedent set by her sister, Ashwath realized that engineering was the clear path forward for her career.
She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications engineering at the SJB Institute of Technology in Bengaluru. Initially, she envisioned a career path centered around very-large-scale integration. That trajectory shifted, however, after she relocated to the United States to pursue a master’s degree in electrical engineering at the University of California, Irvine. During an internship at Intel in Santa Clara, California, she discovered a profound passion for circuits and devices that would ultimately define her professional focus.
At Intel, Ashwath gained exposure to circuit design, package design, and reliability verification tools such as Ansys Totem. Experiencing every layer of the chip development process provided her with a comprehensive picture of what goes into building a successful semiconductor product. It was during this formative experience that she realized her strongest connection lay with design. She was drawn to the combination of hard work and creativity required in the discipline: starting with a set of specifications, building a circuit, running simulations, and finally waiting for the physical chip to return from fabrication. When a design functions as intended, she notes, it delivers a deep sense of satisfaction that teaches valuable lessons in patience and perseverance.
Following the completion of her master’s degree, Intel hired her as an analog design engineer. There, she accumulated vital experience in mixed-signal circuit design before eventually transitioning to Analog Devices. In her current role, she focuses heavily on consumer hearables, such as advanced earbuds, alongside wearables like fitness trackers and health monitors.
Much of her day-to-day work centers on designing electrostatic discharge (ESD) pad rings. These are the borders of specialized circuits built around a microchip’s outermost edge to protect it from sudden electrical discharges, which can otherwise damage delicate circuit paths or introduce latent defects that lead to premature failures later in the chip’s life cycle. On chips featuring multiple voltage domains, meticulous planning is required to ensure protection structures are placed and connected accurately across the entire pad ring. A single oversight in this phase can result in field failures that are notoriously difficult to debug afterward, making the work a delicate balance of applied device physics and holistic chip architecture.
Presenting the Final Product
While Ashwath spends the vast majority of her time designing circuits and running simulations, her willingness to embrace public-facing roles has transformed her professional trajectory. Encouraged by a senior leader to seek out high-visibility opportunities, she transitioned from the quiet environment of the design bench to the bustling floors of major global trade shows.
At CES, standing face-to-face with customers, engineers, and members of the press, she explained how Analog’s advanced earbuds monitor minute physiological vibrations from a user’s heart and lungs. According to company documentation, these vibrations possess the fidelity to detect conditions such as arrhythmias, leaky heart valves, or fluid accumulation in the lungs. As Ashwath points out, hearables are rapidly evolving from simple audio playback devices into sophisticated health-monitoring platforms. The human ear proves to be an ideal location for capturing vital signs unobtrusively during normal daily wear.
The primary engineering hurdle in this domain is achieving high signal quality. The physiological signals designers aim to capture are exceptionally faint, often buried beneath the noise generated by body movements and the surrounding environment. Overcoming this challenge requires advanced analog front-end design, as extracting a meaningful signal from a noisy real-world environment remains a fundamentally analog problem. Interacting directly with conference attendees allowed Ashwath to witness firsthand how people react to these innovations, bridging the gap between theoretical circuit specifications and real-world human impact.
Her public demonstrations have extended well beyond CES. At the annual National Association of Music Merchants show in Anaheim, California, she showcased the A2B Automotive Audio Bus to professionals in the audio industry, demonstrating how unshielded twisted-pair cables can efficiently carry multichannel digital audio, control data, synchronized clock signals, and power in fractions of a millisecond. Furthermore, at Analog Devices’ internal Global Technology Conference in Boston—an event drawing engineers from more than 50 company sites worldwide—she led a demonstration focused on solutions for augmented reality smart glasses. Through these diverse venues, adapting her technical explanations to suit varied audiences has evolved into a well-honed skill.
Giving Back to the Community
Beyond her design work and public presentations, Ashwath maintains an active commitment to the broader engineering community. Like many professionals, she initially joined the IEEE to access cutting-edge research published in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library, using the resource to stay current in a fast-paced industry. However, her involvement quickly expanded into active volunteering, particularly with the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society.
Recognizing the value of cross-pollination between industry and academia, Ashwath serves as a peer reviewer for several prominent conferences, including the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS) and the IEEE International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems (MWSCAS). By evaluating submitted research papers to ensure their technical soundness, she contributes to the rigorous peer-review process that underpins academic publishing in her field. Reading ongoing academic research offers her a perspective distinct from day-to-day product development, reinforcing a reciprocal relationship between commercial engineering and academic inquiry.
Whether she is designing robust ESD protection circuits, guiding engineers through complex sensor integrations, or discussing the future of health-monitoring wearables on a convention stage, Ashwath views communication and continuous learning as fundamental pillars of an engineering career. By stepping out of the laboratory and into the public eye, she continues to help shape both the products of tomorrow and the community dedicated to building them.
