Now in its seventh year, the EW BrightSparks awards see Electronics Weekly and celebrate some of the brightest and most talented young engineers in the UK today.
Continuing our series on the latest EW BrightSparks of 2024, we profile Nandni Jamnadas, a UKESF Scholar who is both a student at Royal Holloway, University of London, and a Software Tool Chain Engineer at Embecosm.
Achievements
Nandni Jamnadas was a member of the Embecosm GNU compiler team, serving as the lead for the CORE-V GNU tool chain project.
In terms of her achievements, Nandni highlighted her efforts dedicated to contributing to GNU . Specifically, focusing on the RISC-V and CORE-V architecture. This involved developing and integrating new features, and enhancing existing components, she told us. It was also ensuring the alignment of the company’s tools with the evolving specifications of the RISC-V and CORE-V architectures.
She played an important role in creating tailored CORE-V tool chains for customers and preparing release notes for public builds on the Embecosm website. This responsibility helped enhance her skills in customer relationship management, technical writing, and effective communication, she told us.
Building strong relationships with customers and leading projects helped in fostering trust and dependability, which were crucial for the success of our projects, she highlighted.
Under the guidance of Dr. Jeremy Bennett, she was trained to become a project leader. This involved setting up repositories, using task tracking tools, creating Gantt charts, assessing risks, drafting reports, and updating milestone plans. She also took on the role of guiding colleagues through the process of implementing builtins for other CORE-V extensions.
During one customer project, we heard, she implemented the CV32E40Pv2 extensions within the CORE-V tool chain.
“Implementing the first set of builtins in the CORE-V GNU Tools Project stands out as a significant achievement. Collaborating with Embecosm’s GNU team, PLCT Labs, and the University of Bologna, we successfully introduced foundational built-in functions tailored to the CORE-V architecture.”
Additionally, she told us she had successfully implemented the auto-generation of branch immediate and post-increment extensions in GCC. This task involved creating scripts to streamline the process, ensuring alignment with the RTL pattern, and addressing optimization challenges. This achievement demonstrated my ability to innovate and enhance the efficiency of our tool chain.
Also, she independently implemented CORE-V MAC pseudo-instructions, enhancing my problem-solving abilities. Additionally, I completed a confidential task for a client, setting up private CORE-V repositories and implementing robust security measures, demonstrating my project management skills and attention to detail.
Nandni also actively participated in refining specifications such as the CORE-V ISA and builtins specifications. This involved making decisions under pressure, managing time effectively, and ensuring accurate documentation, we learned. they also contributed effectively to the project’s evolution.
“A significant achievement was leading the roll forward process for both CORE-V Binutils and GCC in May 2023. This involved integrating the latest RISC-V Zc* extension patches and ensuring synchronization with upstream changes. Despite challenges with integrating the Zcmt extension due to upstream modifications, I successfully managed the transition, demonstrating adaptability and problem-solving skills.”
“Invited to CORE-V LLVM meetings, I facilitated collaboration between the GCC and LLVM compiler teams. This included sharing insights, addressing shared challenges, and ensuring synchronization between the two compilers. This experience broadened my understanding of compiler development and strengthened relationships within the broader RISC-V community.”
Finally, Nandni has also been honored with the Best Industrial Award by the Engineering Department at Royal Holloway, recognising her contributions and achievements. This accolade was paired with the distinction of Most Improved Student, which highlights her progress overcoming challenges.

Caroline Hayes, editor of Electronics Weekly, also shared her viewpoint on Ishaan’s entry.
Caroline highlighted Nandni’s approach to RISC-V and CORE-V design and problem-solving.
“Her clear vision to tailor tools for the GNU and Dolphin projects was impressive and an active participation in UKESF initiatives is equally commendable.”
Community
For her open source community work, Nandni highlighted her role at Embecosm, where she felt privileged to serve as a UK Electronic Skills Foundation (UKESF) scholar.
She shared that UKESF had profoundly shaped her journey. Selected as one of 60 scholars, she says she has benefited immensely from UKESF’s support, “contributing significantly to my growth and development in the field”:
“As a UKESF scholar, I actively engage in outreach activities aimed at inspiring the next generation of engineers. Notably, I served as a UKESF ambassador at Alexandra Park School, where I participated in an engineering day with 75 Key Stage 3 students from five schools in North London. Together, we tackled engineering challenges using Crumble Microcontrollers, aiming to ignite a passion for electrical engineering. Jed Marshall, the head teacher, praised our effective engagement and hands-on expertise in programming and circuitry, skills that are often underrepresented in traditional school curricula. This experience has not only enhanced my communication and presentation abilities but also reinforced my commitment to nurturing young STEM talent.”
Nandni also recorded that her involvement in the CORE-V GNU Tools Project at Embecosm has been instrumental in advancing her professional capabilities.
“This initiative serves as an educational platform for enthusiasts interested in CORE-V GNU, focusing on advanced code implementation and compiler efficiency enhancements.”
“As project lead, I oversee various critical tasks including creating monthly reports, facilitating bi-monthly meetings, and conducting weekly sessions dedicated to discussing implementation strategies and conducting comprehensive code reviews. I also deliver tutorials on code patches and ensure alignment with upstream developments. This role has honed my skills in effective communication, organizational management, attention to detail, strategic planning, and fostering collaborative environments.”
A significant aspect of her role, for example, has been integrating and managing updates for CORE-V extensions, such as the Zc* extension. She told us this involved leading weekly meetings to strategize implementations, review code, and address repository challenges. Her leadership in rolling forward CORE-V Binutils and GCC included integrating new patches and navigating challenges such as conflicting updates and specifications.
In recognition of her contributions, she was appointed as an official OpenHW committer in March. This reflected her dedication and impact within the open-source community, reflecting her commitment to contributing effectively to collaborative projects.
“Customer engagement and software distribution are integral components of my role, where I am responsible for creating tailored CORE-V tool chains and release notes,” she told us.
“I actively participate in collaborative efforts between the CORE-V GNU and LLVM teams to ensure synchronization between the two compilers and address shared challenges. Engaging in these efforts has broadened my understanding of compiler development and reinforced my ability to collaborate effectively across teams and disciplines.”
Nandni has also presented at prestigious open source development conferences, such as the GNU Tools Cauldron and FOSDEM. This provided her with opportunities to share insights into GCC implementations and receive valuable feedback from industry leaders, she said.
“Representing Embecosm at industry events like Embedded World and participating in significant meetings such as the OpenHW Technical Working Group underscore my leadership role within the organization. These opportunities have allowed me to contribute to industry discussions, engage with prominent figures, and align our work with broader community efforts.
Finally, at university last year, she devoted personal project time to collaborate with Dr. William Jones, Head of AI, on brainstorming third-year project ideas.
“Our discussions led to refining an open-source large language model optimized to run on hardware with specific constraints, achieving a first-class result for the report.” The project is now positioned for continued development and future customer use upon Nandni’s return from Embecosm.
Congratulations to Nandni Jamnadas!
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