This proposal requests funds to permit Dr. C. L. Liu, Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, to pursue with Dr. Bobby Nazief, Department of Computer Science, University of Indonesia, for a period of 24 months, a program of research in the area of computer aided design of very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits. In the area of physical design, the collaborators will perform research on place and route problems that arise from the introduction of new technology, for example, field programmable gate arrays, multi-chip modules, and quickly customized logic. They also will collaborate in studying a transformational approach to the data flow graph synthesis in the area of high level synthesis of VLSI circuits. The research problem is of great importance in computer science and has the potential for impacting favorably on the semiconductor industry in the United States and in the developing semiconductor industry in Indonesia. This research could assist in solving some of today's design problems and produce new design tools for the future. Dr. Liu is a senior researcher who has an excellent international reputation. Dr. Nazief is a young researcher at the newly-established Inter- University Center for Computer Science, University of Indonesia. This project is relevant to the objectives of the Science in Developing Countries Program which seeks to increase the level of cooperation between U.S. scientists and engineers and their counterparts in developing countries through the exchange of scientific information, ideas, skills, and techniques and through collaboration on problems of mutual benefit. This project adds an international cooperative dimension to the PI's research under NSF Grant No. MIP-
