The NSF-funded 2025 Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) Summer School will be held in Fairbanks, Alaska. It includes a mandatory one-day virtual session (via Zoom) on July 14, 2025 followed by the in-person school at University of Alaska (Fairbanks) July 20-26, 2025. The summer school’s goal is to train students in the theory and concepts of incoherent scatter radar and allows for hands-on opportunities to design and run experiments at ISR facilities. This year’s school will focus on high-latitude / auroral observations using the Poker Flat ISR (PFISR) as a part of the NSF-supported Geospace Facility. ISRs are the most powerful ground-based tools for ionospheric remote sensing with high temporal and altitudinal resolution. ISR data sets include measurements of electron density, electron and ion temperatures, and plasma drifts, with the possibility of further derived parameters.

The main objectives of the school are:

• Provide a "hands-on" learning experience in small groups
• Promote team-work and collaborative skills
• Encourage substantial interactions with instructors
• Give students the training necessary to begin incorporating ISR into their research

At this school, students will learn:

• How the ionosphere forms and why it is important
• The physical principles of incoherent scatter radar
• The mathematical principles of radar signal processing
• How to design and run an ISR experiment
• How to extract and visualize data from the Madrigal database
• How ISR complements and adds insight to other observations

We encourage graduate and advanced undergraduate students to apply for the school. Those candidates who are selected for the 2025 ISR summer school and are enrolled at U.S. universities/institutions will receive travel support and accommodation to attend this event. Self-funded students from institutions outside the United States may also apply; however, they will not receive travel support.

The 2025 ISR summer school is funded by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) through its Geospace Facilities Program within the Geosciences Directorate and is organized by the University of Central Florida.

The deadline for application submission was March 20, 2025.

Notice of acceptance will be sent to participants by March 28, 2025.

For more information about the school, please contact Andrey Krywonos.

ISR summer school organizing committee:

Details from the previous summer schools can be found at:

• 2024 ISR summer School (Boston)
• 2023 ISR summer School (Fairbanks)
• 2022 ISR summer School (Boston)
• 2021 ISR summer School (Virtual)