10/01/2026
When Ryan Hall started learning about FPGA development, he didn't have years of experience or a roadmap for building a processor. He was a student trying to understand computer architecture more deeply.
This summer, he taught himself enough VHDL and processor design to build a five-stage pipelined MIPS processor on a Digilent Basys 3.
His advice for students who want to get started:
"When you are starting out in FPGA it may feel overwhelming, but there are lots of tutorials, YouTube channels, and articles to learn from."
And if you're completely new to digital design?
"I recommend looking at the HDLBits website and learning some basic components via Verilog."
Ryan is a second-year Computer Engineering student at RIT's Accelerated BS/MS and Honors programs, and what started as a summer project has already led to faculty-mentored FPGA and ASIC research.
Sometimes the hardest part is just starting.
