Ever since his time at BCIS, Alex Ding has been a high-achieving student, and to this day, his willingness to learn continues to drive his success in the tech industry. According to former physics classmate Silja, “he was among the smartest and most talented in our grade!” After graduating from BCIS with flying colors, Alex pursued a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Southern California. Even after completing his education, his learning journey did not stop, as his job constantly demands staying on top of new technologies and advancements. Today, he works as a System-on-Chip (SoC) physical design engineer for Apple in San Diego, a role that requires not only technical expertise but also the ability to adapt and innovate in a fast-evolving industry.

SoC design at Apple involves creating the microchips that power products like iPhones, iPads, Macs, AirPods etc. These chips combine multiple electronic components into one small, efficient unit, enabling features like Siri, Face ID, noise cancellation and speech recognition. Alex's work involves programming and using specialized tools to design these complex circuits, ensuring they can be manufactured at the highest quality for Apple’s cutting edge products. A highly demanding job, and Alex works around the clock to complete his tasks and meet project deadlines. Moreover, he spends much of his limited personal time keeping up with the constant advancements and innovations in the tech industry. 

On one hand, he must familiarize himself with older concepts his more experienced colleagues have already mastered. On the other, he also needs to stay updated on the latest innovations to keep pace with the ever-evolving tech industry. “It definitely requires a lot of dedication to self-learning,” he tells us. Thus, even outside work hours, he is often found perusing Apple’s technical documentation, practicing with specialized tools or holding whiteboarding sessions with colleagues to work through complex concepts.

Needless to say, working as engineer in the world’s leading tech company is not without challenge. When he first joined Apple, he struggled to acclimatize to such a rigorous work environment where, as he puts it, “there’s absolutely no wiggle room”. “I was not adjusting very well,” he confesses. “There was a heavy workload and a tight schedule, and the industry already had years of development that I needed to catch up on.” For Alex, the only solution was to trudge forward and keep on learning.

Unfortunately, though this process of gaining new knowledge and applying them is undoubtedly rewarding, it often comes at the expense of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. But no matter where life takes him in the future, one thing is certain: Alex’s commitment to learning and resilience in the face of challenge will always propel him toward success.