By: Rich Moseson, W2VU

Some 175 scientists, students, professors, and amateur radio operators from around the world gathered in person and virtually on March 14 and 15 to share research, educate each other, and network at the annual HamSCI Workshop. HamSCI, the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation program, aims to promote collaboration between science, amateur radio, and education. The 2025 workshop was hosted this year by the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark. The program featured 30 talks and two dozen poster presentations, many focused on the HamSCI community’s research activities during the 2023 annular and 2024 total solar eclipses and its ongoing programs to involve amateur radio operators in collecting data for research on space weather and its impact on the ionosphere.

See a short video of the workshop’s poster session on ARRL’s YouTube channel.

“I believe the workshop went very well,” said HamSCI Lead Dr. Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, a professor at the University of Scranton. “There were many stimulating presentations and discussions, and the workshop did an excellent job bringing together amateurs, students, and scientists from near and far.”

Among the presenters was Space Science Institute researcher Dr. Kristina Collins, KD8OXT, the 2025 recipient of the Dayton Hamvention® Technical Achievement Award. Collins demonstrated how interactive data visualization software can be used as a platform for HamSCI work, including visualization of data amassed from the Personal Space Weather Station (PSWS) project. Owen Ruzanski, KD3ALD, an undergraduate at The University of Scranton, co-authored, “Development of a Contesting and DXing Dashboard for the HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station.” Citizen scientist Mindy Hull, MD, KM1NDY, researched the “Effect of near total solar eclipse on radio propagation of HF, Weak-Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) transmissions.”

ARRL was well-represented at the conference, with a team led by Director of Marketing and Innovation Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R — who was also the keynote speaker at the Friday night banquet — and Hudson Division Director Ed Wilson, N2XDD. Inderbitzen focused his remarks on amateur radio’s unique status as a technological “sandbox” for exploring and developing new communication technologies. He also highlighted ARRL’s commitment to growing the Amateur Radio Service through programs like the ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology which prepares schoolteachers and college professors to develop student interest and skills in radio communications and technology.

“Last year, the ARRL Board of Directors established a road map for a bold, new strategic direction,” said Inderbitzen in his address. “For 110 years, you might sum up the organization’s purpose as promoting and protecting amateur radio. But last year, ARRL’s mission was expanded … to develop the next generation of radio amateurs. And to be even more deliberate, a new advocacy was established: to inspire youth.” Inderbitzen also led a meeting of the ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Program at the end of the workshop.