AMTA BOOT CAMP
Sunday, November 1, 2026 | 8:00 am–5:20 pm
The AMTA Boot Camp is a 1-day course on antenna and related measurement fundamentals. Live hands-on demonstrations complement the material presented. The Boot Camp is an ideal training opportunity for those new to the antenna and related measurements community and for those who would appreciate an update or “refresher” course on these topics. Instructors are academic and industry experts who were selected based not only on their expertise, but for their ability to communicate effectively.
The AMTA Boot Camp Back-to-Basics Topics Include:
- General RF Measurements
- Material Measurements
- Antenna Measurements
- RCS Measurements
- EMC/EMI Measurements
- New Innovations and Trends
Technical Goals and Objectives of the AMTA Boot Camp Include:
- Gain Basic Understanding of the AMTA-Relevant Measurement Systems and Associated Equipment
- Obtain Basic Understanding of the Theory and Physical Principles of each Measurement System
- Acquire Technical Vocabulary for each Measurement System
- Gain appreciation for similarities and differences of each Measurement System
- Establish appreciation for the Challenges/Applications that are Driving the Need for Each Measurement System
- Identify Common Themes in Each Measurement System (Calibration, Standards, Best Practices, Uncertainties, etc.)
Boot Camp Schedule:
| Time | Subject | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 7:15 – 8:00 | Registration & Breakfast | |
| 8:00 – 8:05 | Introduction | Dr. Lydell Frasch, Dr. Jorge L. Salazar-Cerreño |
| 8:05 – 9:05 | General RF Measurements | Mr. Bruce Williams |
| 9:05 – 10:05 | Material Measurements | Dr. Michael Havrilla |
| 10:05 – 10:20 | Material Measurements Demonstration | Dr. John Schultz |
| 10:20 – 10:35 | Break | |
| 10:35 – 11:35 | Antenna Measurements | Dr. Jeffery Massman |
| 11:35 – 11:55 | Antenna Measurements Demonstration | Dr. Jeffery Massman |
| 11:55 – 12:55 | Lunch | |
| 12:55 – 13:55 | EMI/EMC Measurements | Dr. Randy Jost |
| 13:55 – 14:15 | EMI/EMC Demonstration | Dr. Randy Jost |
| 14:15 – 14:25 | Break | |
| 14:25 – 15:25 | RCS Measurements | Mr. Stephen Blalock |
| 15:25 – 15:45 | RCS Measurements Demonstration | Mr. Stephen Blalock |
| 15:45 – 15:55 | Break | |
| 15:55 – 17:10 | New Innovations & Trends | Mr. Dennis Lewis, Dr. Stuart Gregson |
| 17:10 – 17:20 | Conclusions | Dr. Lydell Frasch |
Boot Camp Instructors
Mr. Bruce Williams
NSI-MI Technologies
Bruce Williams develops applications both within and outside the antenna test and measurement
markets at NSI-MI and was instrumental in developing our Vector Field Analyzer, as well as
various other standard products. He has extensive experience working with electronic,
RF/microwave, and motion control produces and is a graduate of the Microwave Remote
Sensing Lab at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he earned his Master of
Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He’s been a part of AMTA for many years, and was
named an AMTA Fellow in 2024.
Dr. Michael Havrilla
Air Force Institute of Technology
Michael J. Havrilla received B.S. degrees in Physics and Mathematics in 1987, the M.S.E.E degree in 1989 and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering in 2001 from Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. From 1990-1995, he was with General Electric Aircraft Engines, Evendale, OH and Lockheed Skunk Works, Palmdale, CA, where he worked as an electrical engineer. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. He is a Fellow of the Antenna Measurement Techniques Association (AMTA), a senior member of the IEEE, a member of URSI Commission B, and a member of the Eta Kappa Nu and Sigma Xi honor societies. His current research interests include electromagnetic theory and measurement of complex media, electromagnetic propagation and radiation in anisotropic and bianisotropic materials, and quantum field theory.
Mr. Dennis Lewis
Boeing
Dennis Lewis received his BS EE degree with honors from Henry Cogswell College and his MS degree in Physics from the University of Washington. He has worked at Boeing for 37 years and is recognized as a Technical Fellow. He currently has leadership and technical responsibility for the RF, Microwave and Antenna test capabilities. Dennis holds 12 patents and is the recipient of the 2013 and 2015 Boeing Special Invention Award. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and several of its technical societies including the Microwave Theory and Technologies Society (MTT-S), the Antennas and Propagation Society and the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Society. He actively contributes to these societies as a member of the IEEE MTT-S TC-3 on microwave measurements and as a current EMC Society Board Member, past Distinguished Lecturer and 2019 International Symposium chair. He is a Ed Gillespie Fellow, Distinguished Speaker and served on the Board of Directors for the Antenna Measurements Techniques Association (AMTA) and chaired its annual symposium in 2012 and 2023. Dennis is a part-time faculty member teaching a course on Measurement Science at North Seattle College. He’s also an active member and past chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee where he mentors engineering students. His current technical interests include aerospace applications of reverberation chamber test techniques as well as microwave/antenna measurement systems and uncertainties.
Dr. Jeff Massman
Analog Devices
Dr. Jeff Massman received the B.S.E. degree in electrical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy and the M.S.E. and Ph.D. degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He is Chief Systems Architect, Phased Arrays at Analog Devices, where he leads strategy, portfolio development, and platform vision for phased-array systems. His work focuses on commercial AESA architectures, digital beamforming, antenna measurements, array calibration, and MIMO software for scalable radar and sensing platforms. He has more than 16 years of experience across defense and commercial RF systems, with contributions spanning RF seekers, space-based sensors, collaborative UAV platforms, and 5G mmWave products. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, delivered invited workshops and technical talks, and holds multiple patents in antennas, RF systems, and array technologies.
Mr. Stephen Blalock
NSI-MI Technologies
Stephen Blalock is a senior engineering leader at NSI-MI Technologies, where he provides strategic and operational leadership for the company’s standard product portfolio, quality management systems, and technical training programs. He brings more than 30 years of experience designing and delivering state-of-the-art electromagnetic test systems for aerospace and defense applications.
Stephen’s technical expertise spans antenna measurement, radar signature characterization, and materials measurement across a broad range of systems — from compact range and near-field/far-field antenna ranges to resonant cavity and image-plane systems. In his current role, he partners closely with Engineering, Operations, and Sales to oversee product lifecycle management, ISO and A2LA certification compliance, and workforce technical development. He is also a lecturer for short courses in radar cross section measurement methods and a vetted reviewer for the National Radar Cross Section Measurement Facility Certification Program.
Prior to joining NSI-MI, Stephen spent nearly two decades at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), where he served as Chief of the Measurement Sciences branch and led complex, multi-disciplinary programs for the Department of Defense involving antenna and radar signature measurements.
Stephen holds a Master of Science in Applied Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology from Southern Polytechnic State University. He is a Senior Member of the Antenna Measurement Techniques Association (AMTA).
Dr John Schultz
Compass Technology Group
John Schultz is the Chief Scientist at Compass Technology Group, a small engineering company that specializes in electromagnetic materials measurements and the development of measurement devices. He received a B.A. in Physics (1987) from the University of Maryland, a M.S. in Physics (1990) from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering (1997) from the University of Dayton. At the beginning of his career, he worked as an intel analyst both for several defense companies and then for the U.S. Air Force at the Air Force Information Warfare Center. From 1998 to 2013 he was research faculty at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, where he attained the rank of Tech Fellow. Since 2013, he has led research and product development efforts at Compass Technology Group. He is lead author on dozens of journal and conference publications, hundreds of technical reports, and has over half a dozen patents. His most recent book was published by Artech in 2023 and is titled, Wideband Microwave Materials Characterization
Dr. Randy Jost
USU
Dr. Randy Jost received the BSEE, MSEE, and Ph. D. EE from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He served as an officer in the USAF, and completed assignments at the Air Force Institute of Technology, the Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, for the JCS at the Pentagon and the Plasma Physics Laboratory and HPM offices at Kirtland Air Force Base. He retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2006.
From 1991 to 1996, he worked as a Program Manager for SRI, International in Rosslyn, Virginia. In 1996, he took a position as the Technical Director/Director of Engineering for Johnson Controls, at the National RCS Test Facility through 2000. In 2001 he joined Utah State University as an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, and then in 2006 became a Senior Scientist at the Space Dynamics Laboratory at USU.
In 2011 he accepted a position at Ball Aerospace and Technologies Incorporated, as a Staff Consultant, first in Antennas and RCS and then was in charge of the EMC group, retiring in 2021. Currently he is an Adjunct Professor at USU teaching for the ECE and Physics Departments.
He is a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and has served on the Board of Directors of the EMC Society and founder of the Utah joint EMC/APS/MTT/AES chapter. Dr. Jost is a Senior Member of the Antenna Measurement Techniques Association, where he served on the Board of Directors. He is also a member of URSI Commissions C & E, SPIE, AIAA, and the Association of Old Crows.
Professor Stuart Gregson
Next Phase Measurements
Professor Stuart Gregson has more than thirty years of experience working in the space, aerospace and communications sectors and is Director of Operations and Research at Next Phase Measurements, and an honorary visiting professor in the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science at Queen Mary University of London. He received his BSc degree in Physics, his MSc degree in Microwave Solid State Physics, both from the University of Portsmouth and his PhD degree from Queen Mary University of London. From his time with: Airbus, Leonardo, NSI-MI, NPL, and Next Phase Measurements; Prof. Gregson has developed special experience with near-field antenna measurements, finite array mutual coupling, computational electromagnetics, installed antenna and radome performance prediction, compact antenna test range design & simulation, electromagnetic scattering, 5G OTA measurements and has published more than a hundred and thirty peer-reviewed research papers on these topics, regularly contributing to and organizing industrial courses in these subject areas. At the end of 2007 he was the lead author of the research text, Principles of Planar Near-Field Antenna Measurements, and in 2014 he co-authored a second text, Theory and Practice of Modern Antenna Range Measurements, both of which are now in their second editions and are published by the IET within their Electromagnetic Waves Series. He has received the AMTA Best Technical Paper award on three separate occasions in 2008, 2023, and 2025. In 2015 and again in 2025 he presented the AMTA Sunday Short Course respectively on Near-Field Measurement Error Analysis and on Near-Field Theory & Post Processing and currently organizes and presents the IET’s annual short course on Modern Antenna Range Measurements. In 2018, Prof. Gregson was elected to the AMTA Board of Directors where he served first as Treasurer, then as Vice President, and finally as Chair of the AMTA Growth Committee. He is a Fellow of the Antenna Measurement Techniques Association, a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and is a chartered Engineer and Physicist. In 2022 he received the AMTA Outstanding Service Award.