Short Courses and Workshops
Instructor: Armin Doerry, Email: awdoerr@sandia.gov
Admin: Jonathan Chisum, Email: jchisum@nd.edu
Abstract: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is a radar imaging mode that maps radar reflectivity of the ground. This is an important earth resource monitoring and analysis tool in the civilian and government communities, and an important intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tool for the military and intelligence communities. The tutorial proposed herein is intended to provide an introduction to the physical concepts, processing, performance, features, and exploitation modes that make SAR work, and make it useful. Although mathematics will be shown in some parts of the presentation, the lecture will focus on the qualitative significance of the mathematics rather than dry derivations. Liberal use of example SAR images and other data products will be used to illustrate the concepts discussed. The presentation will be given as four distinct modules, each based on (but enhanced from) presentations developed and given by the presenter in numerous non-public forums to government, military, industry, and academic groups.
Outline (Half-day)
The course will be taught in four principal sections, each approximately one hour in length. These sections are nominally as follows:
- Introduction and basic SAR image formation. While other architectures are mentioned, we will focus on airborne pulse-Doppler systems. Basic data models will be developed, and several image processing algorithms will be illustrated and compared. These include a simple 2D-DFT algorithm, the Polar-Format Algorithm (PFA), and Backprojection.
- SAR performance prediction and the radar equation. The radar equation for SAR will be developed and explored in some detail to illustrate how SAR operating parameters can be traded for performance as measured by the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) for a target, and equivalently the Noise-Equivalent Reflectivity (NER).
- SAR phenomenology. The unique nature of range-Doppler images will be discussed, including geometric distortions due to range-Doppler imaging such as wavefront curvature effects and layover. Canonical targets for testing will be addressed. Other SAR image features such as shadows, multipath, and penetration will be discussed. In addition, examples of SAR image dependence on wavelength, polarization, and atmospheric effects will be illustrated. Lots of images will be shown.
- SAR post-processing and exploitation. Post-image-formation processing of SAR images will be discussed, including autofocus, speckle reduction, and dynamic range compression for image display. Basic SAR image-quality metrics will be presented. Finally, a number of SAR image exploitation techniques and modes will be discussed, including Coherent Change Detection, Interferometric SAR, Polarimetric SAR, Stereo SAR, and VideoSAR. The related topic of Inverse-SAR will also be briefly compared.
Dr. Armin Doerry is a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff in the ISR Mission Engineering Department of Sandia National Laboratories. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico. He has worked in numerous aspects of Synthetic Aperture Radar and other radar systems’ analysis, design, and fabrication since 1987, and continues to do so today. He has taught Radar Signal Processing classes (and related topics) as an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico, and has taught numerous seminars on SAR and other radar topics to government, military, industry, and academic groups. He is a Fellow of the SPIE, and of the MSS.
Instructor: Charles Baylis, Email: charles_Baylis@baylor.edu
Abstract: This workshop overviews radio spectrum management and innovation, providing radio scientists understanding of basic issues and challenges in spectral coexistence. Topics include an overview of spectrum management practices, challenges in spectrum sharing for different types of wireless systems (communication, radar, and passive scientific systems), present movements and decisions (including the many developments in this rapidly changing field since the workshop held at last year’s USNC-URSI), and areas of ongoing and needed innovation. The workshop will allow radio scientists to gain a holistic understanding of challenges and practices in spectrum management and coexistence, informing them in designing radio systems to succeed in the ever-complicated spectral environment.
Outline (Half-day)
The agenda will include a couple of focused presentations, panels with academic, industry, and government experts, and opportunities for participant interaction and brainstorming:
- 08:30 - Overview of Radio Spectrum Issues
- 08:50 - Spectrum Regulations
- 09:10 - Current Regulatory Activities Panel
- 09:50 - Break
- 10:10 - User Communities Panel
- 10:50 - Technology Innovations Panel
- 11:30 - Adjourn
Audience participation will be a vital part of this workshop, with participant questions encouraged during each presentation and panel session. By using panel sessions throughout the workshop, this will allow the workshop to flexibly focus on recent spectrum developments and how they affect radio scientists. Audience participation will allow these panels and discussions to be steered to areas of pertinence to workshop participants.
The spectrum field is dynamically changing. New regulations and topics arise monthly. This workshop has two purposes: (1) educate radio scientists on the basics of spectrum allocation and techniques, and (2) provide updates and gain input from radio scientists on current spectrum events, so that the radio science community is mobilized to handle the spectrum challenges it is currently facing.
Dr. Charles Baylis serves as a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Baylor University and Director of SMART Hub, a Department of Defense Spectrum Innovation Center consisting of 25 researchers across 15 universities. Dr. Baylis has served at Baylor since 2008, where he co-founded and still directs the Wireless and Microwave Circuits and Systems Program. He received the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of South Florida in 2007, and served on the USF faculty from 2007-2008 before joining Baylor. His research interests are reconfigurable microwave circuits and systems to enable adaptive spectrum sharing, as well as the intersection of spectrum policy and technology.
Instructors: C.J. Reddy, Email: cj.reddy@siemens.com
Abstract: Now-a-days antennas have become an integral and important part of almost any wireless communication system. In the field of antenna engineering, theoretical analysis is of paramount importance in understanding the basics of the antenna radiation characteristics. While the basic concept of antennas is well known, closed form, exact analytical solutions to many antenna problems are not practical and impossible in many cases. Advances in electromagnetic (EM) simulations have significantly impacted the antenna design process by providing exact solutions by solving Maxwell’s equations using numerical methods. It is a common practice now in academia and industry to use various commercially available EM simulation tools for antenna design process. In this short course, we will introduce basics of antenna modeling and simulation process with pros and cons of various numerical methods, such as Method of Moments (MoM), Multilevel Fast Multipole Method (MLFMM), Finite Element Method (FEM), Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD), Physical Optics (PO), Ray Lunching Geometrical Optics (RL-GO), and Uniform Theory of Diffraction (UTD). We will then discuss modeling and simulation of various antenna types, starting from simple configurations such as dipoles and loops and eventually leading to more complicated and practical designs such as microstrip patches and high-gain reflector antennas.
Outline (Half-day)
- Introduction to Antenna Analysis
- Computational Electromagnetics (CEM)
- CEM Solver Technologies for Antenna Modeling
- Full wave Solutions (MoM, MLFMM, FEM, FDTD)
- Asymptotic Solutions (PO, RL-GO, UTD)
- Hybrid Solutions
- Antenna Arrays
- Infinite Arrays
- Finite Arrays
- Advanced Topics
- Characteristic Mode Analysis - CMA
- Machine Learning for Antenna Design and Optimization
- CEM Solver Technologies for Antenna Modeling
- Antenna Modeling and Simulation in Education and Further Reading
Dr. C.J. Reddy is Siemens Fellow at Siemens Digital Industries Software. Dr. Reddy was awarded the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada Visiting Fellowship to work at Communications Research Center in Ottawa during 1991-1993 and was awarded the US National Research Council (NRC) Resident Research Associateship in 1993 to work at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. While conducting research at NASA Langley, he developed various computational codes for electromagnetics and received a Certificate of Recognition from NASA for development of a hybrid Finite Element Method/Method of Moments/Geometrical Theory of Diffraction code for cavity backed aperture antenna analysis. He also worked as Research Professor at Hampton University from 1995 to 2000. Dr. Reddy was the President of Applied EM, Inc (2000-2017) where he led several Phase I and Phase II SBIR projects for the DoD and NASA. He was also the President of EM Software & Systems (USA) Inc (2002-2014) and led the marketing of the EM Simulation tool, Feko in North America. EM Software & Systems (USA) Inc was acquired by Altair in 2014. Dr. Reddy served as the Vice President of Business Development (Electromagnetics)-Americas, at Altair. Siemens acquired Altair in 2025.
Dr. Reddy is a Fellow of IEEE, Fellow of ACES (Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society) and a Fellow of AMTA (Antenna Measurement Techniques Association). Dr. Reddy is a co-author of the book, “Antenna Analysis and Design Using FEKO Electromagnetic Simulation Software,” published in June 2014 by SciTech Publishing (now part of IET). Dr. Reddy is elected as a member of AMTA Board of Directors for a three-year term starting Jan 2020 and served as the Technical Coordinator for AMTA 2020 and AMTA 2021 Conferences as well as the President in 2022 as well as the immediate Past President of AMTA in 2023. Dr. Reddy is also serving on the ACES Board of Directors for the term 2023-2026 and served as the Vice President of ACES. Dr. Reddy served as an Associate Editor for IEEE Open Journal of Antennas of Propagation and IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation. He served as the Chair of IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S) Young Professionals Committee during 2021-2024 and served on the AP-S AdCom during 2023-2024. Dr. Reddy is appointed to IEEE Fellows Committee by IEEE Board of Directors for the terms 2020-2021 and 2022-2023. Currently, Dr. Reddy is serving as the 2026 IEEE AP-S President. Dr. Reddy is inducted into IEEE Heritage Circle by the IEEE Foundation for establishing the “IEEE AP-S CJ Reddy Travel Grant for Graduate Students.”
Submit a Workshop or Short Course
To propose a workshop or short course to be held during the 2027 National Radio Science Meeting, please submit the Proposal Form to both Dr. Jonathan Chisum (jchisum@nd.edu) and the USNC-URSI Chair Jamesina Simpson ( jamesina.simpson@utah.edu).
The deadline to submit workshop / short course proposals is 4 September 2026.
If you require any special equipment or a particular room arrangement, please make sure to indicate that in the proposal form.
