SpectrumX announces formal liaison partnership with the NTIA Institute for Telecommunication Sciences
By Christina Clark
SpectrumX and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) have formally agreed to work together on the mutually beneficial goals of advancing policy-relevant research and workforce development. The NTIA ITS conducts research in spectrum sciences to advance and satisfy federal policy requirements. Through the collaboration, SpectrumX’s interdisciplinary research, education, and workforce development activities will complement NTIA ITS efforts and pilot new ways that academic institutions can partner with federal agencies going forward. The collaboration is structured through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) signed by NTIA ITS and the University of Notre Dame, lead institution of SpectrumX, representing its current team of 27 universities and 41 researchers.
Policy impact, strategic coordination, broadening participation, and project collaboration are core to the vision of SpectrumX, the first National Science Foundation (NSF) Spectrum Innovation Center. The center works toward these objectives through its core assets, including its researchers, education and workforce development programs, and the member institutions’ facilities and services. Working to further spectrum innovation and address national priorities are outcomes the center and its leadership are actively pursuing.
This partnership with the NTIA ITS will assist faculty in the development of lesson plans and materials for academic institutions to bring to students pursuing studies in spectrum-related sciences. The lesson plans will help to guide educators to areas of focus in the field of federal spectrum research and policies.
“NTIA ITS is the flagship organization for radio frequency measurements, modeling, and technical specifications that impact spectrum policy in the U.S., and we are excited to pilot these mechanisms within SpectrumX, break down barriers to collaboration, and enhance workforce development,” said Nick Laneman, Director of SpectrumX and Co-Director of the Wireless Institute at the University of Notre Dame.
The pilot program creates a visiting researcher engagement at NTIA ITS, initially appointing Laneman in the position to be a liaison for SpectrumX and its member institutions. The liaison role facilitates knowledge transfer between the organizations, helping NTIA ITS identify faculty expertise and student talent, and helping SpectrumX faculty and students learn focus areas, best practices, and tools from the federal agency to better conduct research that impacts policy.
With this pilot collaboration, NTIA ITS and SpectrumX leaders seek to provide a path and a format for encouraging multi-disciplinary, multi-institution research interactions to help further align academic research with national spectrum priorities.
The program is supported through funding from the NTIA ITS, SpectrumX, and the NSF.
To learn more about SpectrumX, please visit spectrumx.org.
About SpectrumX
SpectrumX is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as part of its Spectrum Innovation Initiative, under grant number AST 21-32700. SpectrumX is the world’s largest academic hub where all radio spectrum stakeholders can innovate, collaborate, and contribute to maximizing social welfare of this precious resource.
To learn more about SpectrumX, please visit spectrumx.org.
Contact:
Christina Clark, Research Communications Specialist
SpectrumX / Notre Dame Research / University of Notre Dame
cclark26@nd.edu / 574.631.2665
spectrumx.org