About the Author Gina R. Smith is the CEO and founder of Brown-Smith RDL Inc., located in Maryland. She is a Senior Electrical/Systems Engineer with an Associate's degree in Applied Science in Electronic Engineering Technology, a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering, magna cum laude, and an M.S. degree in Systems Engineering with honors, from Johns Hopkins University. Through her company, Gina provides systems engineering and FPGA consulting services. Her accomplishments include a Technical Merit Award from Northrop Grumman, for one of her high-voltage designs. She wrote The Art of FPGA Construction, published in Embedded Systems Design, January 2008. She is a member of the International Council on Systems Engineering, Women in Defense, and National Defense Industrial Association. She has numerous years experience as a design and project engineer and technical leader. She worked in the fields of avionics, chemistry and biology, primary and secondary surveillance radar systems, information, friend or foe technology, and various other military and defense systems. Gina has one daughter, Rebecca C. Smith, and lives in Maryland. She enjoys snow skiing, NASCAR, hiking, cooking, and fishing.