LAD Fellowship

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LAD Fellowship – Sponsored by the International Conference on LLM-Aided Design (ICLAD)

The International Conference on LLM-Aided Design (ICLAD) is pleased to announce the establishment of the LAD Fellowship, a prestigious award designed to support outstanding graduate students pursuing research in design automation leveraging large language models (LLMs). With the rapid emergence of LLMs and their transformative applications in hardware and software design, the LAD Fellowship aims to encourage bold, innovative research at the intersection of AI, automation, and systems.

Each fellowship carries a cash award of $10,000, provided directly to the selected student. Fellows are expected to participate in the following year’s LAD Conference, where they will present their research progress through a poster session. A portion of the fellowship award should be used to support travel and participation in the conference.

Application Materials

Student applicants must submit the following:

1. A 3-page research proposal outlining their project. (Guidelines below)
2. The applicant’s curriculum vitae (CV) highlighting academic achievements, publications, and relevant experience.
3. Two letters of recommendation, including one from the applicant’s primary research advisor.

Guidelines for the 3-Page Proposal

The research proposal should be no more than 3 single-spaced pages (excluding references). Suggested structure:

• Title and Abstract (½ page): A clear, concise description of the research problem and goals.
• Background and Motivation (½–1 page): Context within the design automation and LLM-Aided Design landscape; why this problem matters.
• Research Objectives and Methods (1–1.5 pages): Specific aims, methodology, and expected innovations. Include how LLMs or related techniques are being applied or extended.
• Expected Impact (½ page): Potential contributions to the LLM-Aided Design field and the broader design automation community.
• References (not included in page count): Citations to prior work as appropriate.

Clarity, originality, and feasibility will be emphasized. Proposals should be written for a technical but broad design automation audience.

Selection Criteria

Fellowships will be awarded on a merit basis, with emphasis on:

• Academic excellence and credentials of the student.
• Quality, originality, and relevance of the proposed research to LLM-Aided Design.
• Potential impact of the research on the broader design automation community.

Timeline

• Application Submission Opens: September 15, 2025
• Application Deadline: October 15, 2025
• Award Notification: November 15, 2025

Application submission portal are below.

About the LAD Fellowship

The LAD Fellowship underscores ICLAD’s commitment to supporting the next generation of research leaders in design automation leveraging the most advanced AI technologies. By investing in graduate students, this program seeks to accelerate advances in LLM-driven innovation, foster academic–industry collaboration, and strengthen the global community working at the intersection of AI, hardware, and software design.

link for students

link for recommendation letters submission