The Nexus of Passion and Profession

Whether you're choosing a college major or shifting direction in an established career, a compass might be found in the Purpose Venn Diagram.

At the intersection of these questions lies Purpose.

On a recent high school STEM Day at the Cadence Austin office, engineers discussed their own answers to these questions. Each unique story not only showcased how students might answer those questions, but also where those circles can converge: Right there at Cadence.

The Cadence Black Inclusion Group (BIG) partnered with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Austin chapter as a site host for Engineering Day 2026. Students from four high schools, including the Texas Empowerment Academy, Harmony Science Academy, Pflugerville High School, and Killeen ISD, got to hear from STEM professionals about their own passions, professions, and purpose. The Killeen students had to be on their bus by 5:30am to attend the event!

Project coordinator Khalilah Shaw kicked off each session with a tour of the office space, break areas, and game room before gathering students for pictures and settling in for a quick overview of semiconductor design and verification.

Technical director Anthony Williams brought energy and inspiration as he gave an overview of Electronic Design Automation (EDA). Amidst the technical content, Anthony shared highlights of his path from professional football to engineering. In his experience advancing from one team to another, from sports to tech, he underscored the value of teamwork and accountability.

Solutions engineer LaMark Chance explained how silicon, which happens to be the chief element found in sand, is the premier semiconductor material used in integrated circuits (ICs). Billie Johnson, also a solutions engineer, used a remnant of an ancient silicon ingot from a 6-inch wafer process to illustrate how pure silicon crystals are formed into an IC wafer.

A student asked if the industry is going to continue keeping up with Moore’s Law. Moore's law isn't so much a law of physics but rather an observation by Gordon Moore in 1965 when we was the director of research and development at Fairchild Semiconductor. He noted that the number of transistors in an IC doubled every two years and hypothesized that this trend would continue.

Applications engineer Juwon Wharwood and design engineer Paul "Tayo" Adefiranye jumped right in discussing industry adaptations in silicon processing, fabrication technology, circuit design, packaging, software, and hardware development that all come into play with regard to how trends will follow Moore's law or not. They were later joined by application engineer Kiara Chinchay-Diaz, and the trio discussed their draw toward engineering and paths to their current roles.

During a break, Moubarak Jeje, liaison to the Austin chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, asked LaMark more detailed technical questions about the Palladium processor-based hardware emulation platform for pre-silicon verification. The exchange of curiosity and wonder among these professionals rivaled that of the students' moments earlier.

STEM days like this can ignite a spark or fan the flames of curiosity in the next generation of local tech talent. As volunteers shared stories of the work they love and the impact on the world, their smiles and tempo made it clear that they've arrived at their purpose today. Meaningful work, a healthy salary, and endless opportunities to learn illustrate Life at Cadence... at the nexus of passion and profession.

Learn more about the Cadence Academic Network.