Conference: Catalyzing the Future of Spectrum Coexistence Through a National Radio Dynamic Zone Workshop

The wireless spectrum is a natural resource upon which we all depend in more ways than we realize. While our personal and professional lives thrive on mobile broadband, a plethora of other applications, such as weather forecasting, climate science, astronomy, space exploration, and civil/military navigation also critically depend on the radio spectrum. The ever-growing demand for spectrum has led to a corresponding increase in congestion as these vastly different services converge to the same bands. As a result, spectrum conflicts have arisen between services utilizing adjacent or overlapping bands, resulting in an increase of harmful interference. Unlocking the potential of the next-generation wireless systems while protecting the spectrum necessary for advancing our understanding of Earth and the universe will require the adaptability, flexibility, and performance benefits made possible by effectively and efficiently sharing spectrum. Authorizing and operating spectrum-sharing systems will require innovative spectrum management techniques that can provide real-time coordination, control, and enforcement in highly dynamic environments with stringent interference limitations. Recognizing these needs, federal agencies and spectrum regulators have been advocating for the establishment of a National Radio Dynamic Zone (NRDZ) as a regional-scale experimental test bed that can enable spectrum research. Such a zone will provide real-world validation of the coexistence of disparate active and passive technologies. The purposes of this project are (1) to hold an in-person workshop and a series of virtual meetings to review the current state-of-the-art in NRDZ research, (2) to consolidate lessons learned from independent efforts, (3) to explore key challenges related to the implementation of a NRDZ, (4) to foster future collaborative research, and (5) to serve as a catalyst for spectrum innovation. The workshop will build on a two-year initiative co-led by the PIs, which has shaped a community of researchers and a vision for NRDZ. The planned activities will promote a multi-disciplinary approach to collaborative research that will foster the development and implementation of the NRDZ. They will also identify priority research areas for investment, key challenges that need to be addressed, and highlight the needs of industry, government, active, and passive users. At a higher level, the NRDZ will change the way future wireless communication systems are designed and built, leading to significant opportunities to develop educational initiatives for training the next generation of spectrum engineers. Several NSF-funded NRDZ groups around the country have highly effective Broader Impact programs that will be highlighted during the workshop. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.