Suzy Lakin

I currently work full time as a Lead EDA Engineer, based just north of Bristol. I have worked in the electronics industry since 2008 when I started out as a Junior PCB Designer. 

During my career in Engineering, I have studied part time to achieve both a BEng in Electronics System Engineering (2017) and an MSc in Engineering and Management (2019) through University of Portsmouth. 

Since graduating in 2019 I have been keen to develop my knowledge and industry understanding of the opportunities around Sustainable Electronics. Becoming a part time Doctoral Researcher focusing on this topic at Loughborough University has provided the platform to achieve this along with my established industry connections. 

Electronics is of vital importance for the transition to the Net Zero economy, being core to multiple applications from electric cars to renewable energy management and the smart electrical grid. 

However, while electronic products account for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, electronic design has lagged behind other industrial sectors in considering environmental impacts at the design stage of the product lifecycle, where the greatest potential for improvement exists. 

The aim of this research will be to add environmental impact assessment capability to the electronic CAD (eCAD) circuit design and PCB layout design tools used by designers, allowing them to quickly evaluate the sustainability implications of choices early in the design cycle. To achieve this the research will closely explore the electronics industry supply chain to evaluate the environmental impact profiles of components and production processes, and will demonstrate the gains possible using reference product designs. 

I enjoy horse riding, swimming and spending time with family.