The electromagnetic spectrum is both a key enabling technology for modern civilization and a key to unlocking new scientific discoveries. As technology has advanced at a rapid pace, the limited spectrum resource has seen increasing demand and the need for more efficient use of the spectrum has become clear. Use of the spectrum for the provision of mobile broadband data, Internet of Things (IoT) access, mobile healthcare, intelligent transportation system, 5G and next generation systems, and scientific investigation call for innovative approaches.

• The Spectrum Innovation Initiative
• Announcements & Current Funding Opportunities
• Information: Workshops, Webinars and FAQs
• Participating NSF Directorates
• Contact information

The Spectrum Innovation Initiative

The National Science Foundation's Spectrum Innovation Initiative presents a suite of opportunities to address the pressing challenges arising from the growing demand for usage of the electromagnetic spectrum, including passive and active applications.

The goal of the Spectrum Innovation Initiative is to promote dynamic and agile spectrum utilization, while ensuring innovation and security for all users. Reaching this goal will require basic research, infrastructure development, new collaborations, public outreach, education, and workforce development. While NSF has supported successful spectrum research activities for many years, with the Initiative NSF is enacting an increased commitment on a larger and more interdisciplinary scale. Enhancing efficient spectrum utilization and access is vital to the national interest, including the scientific enterprise and industries of the future.

NSF, through this initiative, is focused on cultivating research and innovation in spectrum usage in the following ways:

1. National Radio Dynamic Zones (NRDZ) – research to advance the use of dynamic spectrum sharing through conducting at-scale field trials of sharing solutions for passive and active users; with the long-term goal of establishing a national experimental facility for spectrum innovation.
2. National Center for Spectrum Innovation and Workforce Development – connecting spectrum researchers with nationwide challenges and growing the spectrum workforce in support of industries of the future.
3. Spectrum Research Activities – promoting and developing the means for increased and more effective use of the spectrum for passive and active applications, especially activities of a cross-disciplinary nature.
4. Education and Workforce Development – encouraging the development of a skilled and diverse workforce through education and training programs.

Active awards may be found via the NSF Award Search website.  
Note: this search currently retrieves only a subset of the awards. Work is ongoing to clean up database codes so the query response is complete. Please notify the SII program team if you notice an omission.

Announcements & Current Funding Opportunities

Announcements

• The first NSF Spectrum Week will occur April 24-28, 2023, at the National Science Foundation headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Additional information will be posted to this page.


• On February 1, 2021, NSF entered into an agreement with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA), signing a Memorandum of Agreement for their support of NSF’s Spectrum Innovation Initiative. This agreement is intended to ensure that FCC and NTIA staff can provide their subject matter expertise to help ensure that NSF’s Spectrum Innovation Initiative investments in spectrum research, infrastructure, and workforce development are in alignment with U.S. spectrum regulatory and policy objectives, principles, and strategies.
MOA announcement: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-369633A1.pdf
MOA text: https://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/blogimages/sii_moa_fcc_nsf_ntia.pdf

Current Funding Opportunities

• Workforce Development in Spectrum STEM (NSF 22-095): NSF invites supplemental funding requests in the following areas related to spectrum workforce development: workforce definition studies, training opportunities, informal education and public outreach, and workshops.

Information: Workshops, Webinars and FAQs

National Radio Dynamic Zones (SII-NRDZ) program

• Overview by NSF Program Officer, December 2022
  • Video (forthcoming)
  • NSF SII-NRDZ Program Overview 2022-12-14.pdf
• NRDZ Community Open Meeting 1 (NRDZCOM1), December 14-15, 2022
  • This virtual workshop included a program overview by NSF, project overviews by SII-NRDZ awardees and NSF awardees working on related topics, and panel discussions.
  • Full workshop: All slide decks and Video (forthcoming)
  • Specific talks or panels: Proceedings will include links to each slide deck and video
  
  
• Overview by NSF Program Officer, March 2022
• Video
• SII-NRDZ introduction 2022-03 distribution.pdf


• Updates by Principal Investigators of active projects as of March 2022
  
  • Webinar agendas
  • Advanced wireless: video of webinar held March 16, 2022
  • Radio astronomy: video of webinar held March 23, 2022  
     

Participating NSF Directorates

• Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS)
• Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE)
  
• Directorate for Engineering (ENG)
  
• Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO)
  
• Directorate for STEM Education (EDU)
• Directorate for Geosciences (GEO)
  
• Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE)
  

Contact Information

Email for the Spectrum Innovation Initiative Program Team: SII@nsf.gov
Telephone inquiries: John Chapin, (703) 292-8222
SII Program Team:

• MPS/AST: John Chapin, Jonathan Williams
• CISE/CNS: Alhussein Abouzeid, Murat Torlak
• ENG/ECCS: Huaiyu Dai, Jenshan Lin
• SBE/SES: Eric Bahel, Nancy Lutz
• GEO/AGS: Lisa Winter
• EDU/DGE: Li Yang
• OD/OIA (EPSCOR): Jose Colom-Ustariz
• BIO/DBI: Robert Fleischmann