David May FRS FREng, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Bristol features in this week’s The Economist magazine about his pioneering work in the microchip industry and helping to create Bristol’s very own ‘Silicon Valley’.

Professor May gained many years of experience in the semiconductor industry before coming to the University of Bristol in 1995 where he developed the core technology that enables complete systems to be designed rapidly in software.

In 2005, he co-founded spin-out semiconductor company XMOS, which started as a University of Bristol undergraduate computer science project and now employs 50 people. Professor May is Chief Technical Officer of XMOS, now a major semi-conductor business developing microchips that can be easily programmed by makers of niche goods such as audio equipment, musical instruments and fitness monitors.

Professor May, who has been granted many patents centred around microprocessor technology and is on the technical advisory boards of several semiconductor companies, has helped establish Bristol as a hub for microelectronic design and innovation.