Program Details

PROGRAM (updated 12.13.23)

50th Anniversary Plenary Speakers - Thursday, January 11

USNC-URSI Commission A – History and Mission, Steve Weiss Johns Hopkins University
Contributions and Accomplishments of USNC-URSI Commission B, Branislav M. Notaros, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Commission C - Dev Palmer
A History of Technical Contributions - Commission D, Jonathan D. Chisum, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN and Zoya Popovic, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO
Some Highlights in Commission E in National Radio Science Meetings - Commission E, Robert L. Gardner
Consultant, Marietta, GA
50 Years of Wave Propagation and Remote Sensing Science at the National Radio Science
Meeting in Boulder, CO - Commission F, David Kunkee, The Aerospace Corporation, Los Angeles, CA
Progress in Understanding Our Ionosphere, Atmosphere, and Near-Earth Space
through URSI Commission G: Selected 50 Year Highlights - Phil Erickson, MIT Haystack Observatory
Waves in Plasmas: A 50-Year Quest for Resonance through Inhomogeneities, Anisotropies,
and Induced Perturbations - Commission H, Mark Golkowski, University of Colorado – Denver
Discovering the Radio Universe, Commission J - Ken I. Kellermann, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesvile, VA and Alyson Ford, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona
The Intersection of Radio Science and Biology and Medicine: A Celebration of the Past and Future of Commission K, Susan C. Hagness, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI

11th Hans Liebe Lecture - Ground-based-microwave radiometers: Missing puzzle pieces in laying the picture of the atmospheric state, Prof. Ulrich Löhnert, Meteorology at the University of Cologne

Workshops

Hands On Phased Array Beamforming (WSI), Dr. Laila Fighera Marzall, CU Boulder, Jon Kraft, Analog Devices
Abstract: Phased array communications and radar systems are finding increased use in a variety of applications. This places a greater importance on training engineers and rapidly prototyping new phased array concepts. However, this has historically been difficult and expensive. But a recent open source offering, the CN-0566 Phaser, allows real beamforming hardware to be used for education, project proposals, and product development. This workshop will introduce that offering with lectures and hands on labs covering: phased array beamforming (steering angle and beam formation), antenna impairments (side lobes/tapering, grating lobes, beam squint), monopulse tracking implementation, and jammer mitigation through null steering. Each of these topics will be addressed with a short lecture, followed by the participants using the Phaser hardware to directly explore the lecture topic.
John Kraft Bio: Jon Kraft joined Analog Devices in 2007, after spending 9 years at Motorola/ON Semiconductor. He is now a principal field applications engineer with a focus in software-defined radio and phased array radar. He posts examples of these concepts, using simple hardware and software, at www.youtube.com/@jonkraft. He is also the architect, and perpetual explorer, of the CN0566 Software Defined Phased Array Radar project, commonly called the “Phaser.” He received a B.S.E.E. from Rose-Hulman, a M.S.E.E. from Arizona State University, and has 10 patents issued.
Laila Fighera Marzall Bio: Laila Fighera Marzall received her B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the Federal University of Santa Maria in 2006; her M.S. in electrical engineering from Aeronautics Institute of Technology, ITA, in 2009, in Brazil, and her Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2022. She works as a Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Colorado Boulder Microwave Group. Her research is focused on broadband phased arrays and non-reciprocal devices, like circulators and phase shifters, as well as MMIC power amplifiers. She is a Senior Member of the IEEE and a URSI Associate Member.
Successful Proposal Writing for Sustainable, and Impactful Research—from tenure-track through the long-game (WS2), Prof. Jonathan Chisum, Univ. of Notre Dame, Dr. Chris Anderson, NTIA
Abstract: Whether you are a graduate student or a post-doc seeking your first faculty appointment, a tenure-track assistant professor working to establish a research group, or a full professor looking to increase your impact, successful proposal writing is an essential skill. Unfortunately, proposal writing is often learned by immersion or, when taught, is treated in such a general manner that it lacks relevance. This tutorial panel will provide concrete examples of both funded and unfunded proposals to share the “do’s and don’ts” of proposal writing. The panel comprises researchers at various stages in their career, spanning a variety of disciplines, with experience in academia, government labs, and non-profits. They will provide concrete suggestions that are immediately useful for attendees. The discussion will present a systematic approach to proposal writing that can not only lead to a sustainable flow of funding, but will also help generate original ideas, refine research plans, establish vibrant collaborations, and make an impact. Our panelists will discuss: the funding landscape including NSF, DoD, industry, non-profit, and international organizations; how to pursue small, medium, and large research programs; how to contact program managers, how to construct white papers and survive a visit (or virtual meeting) to DC; the key elements of a proposal and how to make your proposal irresistible (a “must fund” proposal); telling a compelling and complete story (leaving no major doubts); developing a cadence for proposal writing, execution, and paper writing; and more. Example of successful proposals will be presented.
Jonathan Chisum Bio: A brief biography: Jonathan D. Chisum received the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder in Boulder, Colorado USA, in 2011. He is currently an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. From 2012 to 2015 he was a Member of Technical Staff at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory in the Wideband Communications and Spectrum Operations groups. His work at Lincoln Laboratory focused on millimeter-wave phased arrays, antennas, and transceiver design for electronic warfare applications. In 2015 he joined the faculty of the University of Notre Dame. His research interests include millimeter-wave communications and spectrum sensing using novel and engineered materials and devices to dramatically lower the power and cost and enable pervasive deployments. His group focuses on gradient index (GRIN) lenses for low-power millimeter-wave beam-steering antennas, nonlinear (1-bit) radio architectures for highly efficient communications and sensing up through millimeter-waves, phase-change materials for reconfigurable RF circuits for wideband distributed circuits and antennas, and microwave/spin-wave structures for low-power and chip-scale analog signal processing for spectrum sensing and protection. Dr. Chisum is a senior member of the IEEE, a member of the American Physical Society, and an elected Member of the U.S. National Committee (USNC) of the International Union or Radio Science's (URSI) Commission D (electronics and photonics). He is the current Chair for USNC URSI Commission D: Electronics and Photonics. He is also an Associate Editor for IET Electronics Letters.
Chris Anderson Bio: Christopher R. Anderson joined the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) in 2023 following a distinguished 16-year tenure at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) as an Associate Professor in the Electrical Engineering Department. At USNA, he founded and directed the Wireless Measurements Group, a specialized research team focusing on spectrum, propagation, and field strength measurements in diverse environments and frequencies ranging from 300 MHz to 28 GHz. During 2016-2018, Dr. Anderson served as a Visiting Researcher for the NTIA ITS Theory Division, concentrating on the development of propagation models for cluttered environments. Currently, his primary interests lie in enhancing spectrum coexistence between active and passive technologies and improving wireless coverage in rural or under-served areas. Dr. Anderson is a former Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, the Chair of the UAV and V2V Channel Modeling Subgroup of the IEEE P.1944 Mobile Communication Network Standards Committee, and the Chair of the URSI US National Committee Commission A Electromagnetic Metrology.

Short Course

Intelligent Surfaces for Communications and Radars (SC1), Kumar Vijay Mishra, US Army Research Laboratory
Abstract: In recent years, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) have shown promising abilities to control and manipulate electromagnetic (EM) waves through modified surface boundary conditions. These surfaces are electrically thin and comprise an array of spatially varying sub-wavelength scattering elements (or meta-atoms). Through careful engineering of each meta-atom, RISs can transform an incident EM wave into an arbitrarily tailored transmitted or reflected wavefront. Recent developments in RISs have opened exciting new opportunities in antenna design, as well as communications and radar systems. RISs - wherein meta-atoms are embedded with active components - lead to the development of low-cost, lightweight, and compact systems that can produce programmable radiation patterns, jointly perform multi-function communications, and enable advanced radars for next-generation military platforms. This short course will introduce RISs and their various applications in designing simplified communications and radar systems, wherein the RF aperture and transceiver are integrated within the RIS. For example, dynamic reconfiguration of the RIS aperture in a wireless communications transmitter facilitates beam steering, frequency agility, and phase modulation without conventional front-end devices such as phase-shifters, mixers, and switches. We will present our recent work on reconfigurable RIS control, RIS-enabled direct signal modulation, and deep learning-based RIS design. Finally, we will present deploying RIS as a reflector in the wireless channel for aiding non-line-of-sight radar and joint radar-communications.
Kumar Vijay Mishra Bio: Kumar Vijay Mishra (S’08-M’15-SM’18) obtained a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and M.S. in mathematics from The University of Iowa in 2015, and M.S. in electrical engineering from Colorado State University in 2012, while working on NASA’s Global Precipitation Mission Ground Validation (GPM-GV) weather radars. He received his B. Tech. summa cum laude (Gold Medal, Honors) in electronics and communication engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur (NITH), India in 2003. He is currently Senior Fellow at the United States Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Adelphi; Technical Adviser to Singapore-based automotive radar start-up Hertzwell and Boston-based imaging radar startup Aura Intelligent Systems; and honorary Research Fellow at SnT - Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust, University of Luxembourg. Previously, he had research appointments at Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Bengaluru; IIHR - Hydroscience & Engineering, Iowa City, IA; Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs, Cambridge, MA; Qualcomm, San Jose; and Technion - Israel Institute of Technology.
Dr. Mishra is the Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE Communications Society (2023-2024), IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society (AESS) (2023-2024), IEEE Vehicular Technology Society (2023-2024), and IEEE Future Networks Initiative (2022). He is the recipient of the IET Premium Best Paper Prize (2021), U. S. National Academies Harry Diamond Distinguished Fellowship (2018-2021), American Geophysical Union Editors' Citation for Excellence (2019), Royal Meteorological Society Quarterly Journal Editor's Prize (2017), Viterbi Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015, 2016), Lady Davis Postdoctoral Fellowship (2017), DRDO LRDE Scientist of the Year Award (2006), NITH Director’s Gold Medal (2003), and NITH Best Student Award (2003). He has received Best Paper Awards at IEEE MLSP 2019 and IEEE ACES Symposium 2019.
Dr. Mishra is Chair (2023-present) of the Synthetic Apertures Technical Working Group of the IEEE Signal Processing Society (SPS) and Vice-Chair (2021-present) of the IEEE Synthetic Aperture Standards Committee, which is the first SPS standards committee. He is the Vice Chair (2021-2023) and Chair-designate (2023-2026) of the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) Commission C. He has been an elected member of three technical committees of IEEE SPS: SPCOM, SAM, and ASPS, and IEEE AESS Radar Systems Panel. Since 2020, he has been Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, where he was awarded Outstanding Editor recognition in 2021. He has been a lead/guest editor of several special issues in journals such as IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Signal Processing, and IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications. He is the lead co-editor of three upcoming books on radar: Signal Processing for Joint Radar-Communications (Wiley-IEEE Press), Next-Generation Cognitive Radar Systems (IET Press Radar, Electromagnetics & Signal Processing Technologies Series), and Advances in Weather Radar Volumes 1, 2 & 3 (IET Press Radar, Electromagnetics & Signal Processing Technologies Series). His research interests include radar systems, signal processing, remote sensing, and electromagnetics.

Regular and Special Sessions

Both regular and special sessions relating to the 10 USNC-URSI Commissions will be organized. Please see the Topics page for more information.

Commission Business Meetings

Commission Business Meetings are open to all attendees. Each attendee is welcome and strongly encouraged to attend at least one Commission Business Meeting, even if you are not an official member of the Commission. Students in particular are encouraged to attend to learn more about the Commissions.

50th Anniversary Banquet Dinner

The 50th Anniversary Banquet Dinner (cash bar) will be held on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 from 18:30-21:00. Tickets will be required for entrance. The cost of the banquet dinner is included in the registration fee. Please be prepared to show a government ID/passport and wear conference badge in order to consume alcohol. The legal age to drink in Colorado is 21.

Additional Guests tickets can be purchased on the registration site for $50 (USD).

Steering Committee