Adam Kinsman, a recent electrical and computer engineering PhD graduate, is the recipient of the 2010 Douglas R. Colton Medal for Research Excellence awarded by CMC Microsystems.

The Colton Medal recognizes excellence in research and the applications of microsystems or related technologies in Canada. The award was presented by Ian McWalter, president and CEO of CMC Microsystems, at the organization's annual symposium in Ottawa last month.

Kinsman was cited for his work on “the development of new computer-aided methods that enable the design of reliable, cost-effective and high-performance embedded systems.”

The annual award includes a medal and a prize of $4,500. Candidates for the award may be faculty, students or alumni who have successfully completed a master's or a doctorate degree in a Canadian university within the previous three calendar years. They can be from any related field or discipline, including photonics/optoelectronics, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microelectronics, microfluidics, or embedded software.

Kinsman “has proven throughout his graduate studies that he is an out of ordinary designer of microelectronic systems, a committed educator and a prolific scholar in the fields broader than just the focus of his doctoral research,” according to his award nomination.

The results of Kinsman's research include formal methods relating to the determination and validation of data representation for memory and arithmetic units to be used in embedded computing devices. It has broad applications in the energy, environment, and medical sectors.

CMC Microsystems is a non-profit organization that provides computer-aided design and analysis software to researchers in support of microelectronics and microsystems research. It also offers technical services, such as low-cost prototype manufacturing and system testing to university researchers, and organizes networking conferences and workshops. Its membership includes more than 40 post-secondary institutions.