Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Ramon Mercado

Graduate Student
Computer Engineering

Hometown: Bayamón, Puerto Rico

For a guy who’s been exploring computers and programs since he first got his hands on MUD (a multiplayer computer game combining role-playing games, hack and slash-style computer games, and social chat rooms) and Internet Relay Chat at age 11, it’s no surprise Ramon Mercado is now passionate about earning his doctorate in computer engineering.

Why Study Computer Engineering
Mercado came to Iowa State from his home in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, in 2005 to pursue a PhD in system design.

“Ever since I can remember, I’ve been attracted to computers,” says Mercado. “My parents worked at a university and this gave me a unique opportunity to explore some ‘computer systems.’”

Research at Iowa State
At Iowa State, Mercado works in the embedded systems research area. “I try to get ahead of the curve and develop new methods and tools that’ll speed the design of embedded systems,” Mercado says.

Co-op Experiences
During an undergraduate co-op experience at Texas Instruments, Mercado found the research area he wanted to pursue. It was there he started working with field programmable arrays (FPGAs). “My project was to design a new expansion card for a test setup,” he says. “This new card was designed to source and capture audio signals to a chip for a cell phone. The entire process of designing the PCB board, doing the VHDL for the onboard FPGA, and finally the low-level programming to interface with the test setup thrilled me.”

Rewarding Experiences at Iowa State
Mercado says one of his most rewarding experiences at Iowa State is being involved in developing a computer engineering course, CprE 488: Embedded System Design, and then getting to help students as the lab’s teaching assistant. “To become a university professor is one of my greatest motivations for doing graduate studies,” he says. “Having the chance to participate in this process was a great experience and having the students react with much enthusiasm was very rewarding.”

Award and Honors
Mercado’s enthusiasm for teaching was recently recognized in 2006 when he won the university Teaching Excellence Award for graduate students. He’s also received several other honors, including a Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowship in 2006 (available via the Information Infrastructure Institute), a Lockheed Martin Fellowship in 2005, and the Outstanding Intern award at Texas Instruments in 2001. Additionally, he’s a student member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Hobbies and Student Organization Involvement
The enthusiasm Mercado shows for computer engineering is perhaps equaled only by his passion for the ancient Chinese board game Go—a game of strategy played on a ruled wooden board with stone markers. “It’s a very challenging game,” says Mercado, who’s the president of the Cyclone Go Club. “I became even more interested in it when I learned that, unlike chess, computer versions have never defeated any professional player.”

Future Plans
When Mercado completes his PhD in 2009, he plans to return to Puerto Rico to teach and research. “I wish to give back what was given to me—all the opportunities and the great education I received,” he says. “I wish to help the next generation of students have the same experiences I’ve had.”

6/13/07

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