New Investments in PAWR Program Strengthen US Commitment to Wireless Research in 5G, 6G, and Beyond

The Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) Project Office announces $2.8 million in new funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) as it continues its mission to accelerate wireless innovation through the shared resource of advanced network testbeds. The new funding aligns with rising global interest in wireless research facilities and underscores the value of programs that expand researcher access to sophisticated and adaptive network testing environments. The PAWR Project Office (PPO) is jointly run by team members from US Ignite and Northeastern University. Investment by the NSF extends the initial five-year term of the PPO and supports the PAWR platforms as they drive foundational research in areas such as open radio access networks (Open RAN), spectrum sharing, and drone-based wireless systems. In addition to the latest investment from the NSF in the PPO, the PAWR program continues to win research-specific grants from multiple government agencies, and to leverage significant contributions from its industry partners across the wireless sector. It has also expanded to include Colosseum among its program assets. Colosseum, housed at Northeastern University, is the world’s largest radio-frequency emulator.