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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Wireless Innovation between Finland and the US (WiFiUS)

What is the WiFiUS funding opportunity?

Wireless Innovation between Finland and the US (WiFiUS) is a joint international research funding opportunity based on a formal Memorandum of Understanding between the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Academy of Finland. Its purpose is to strengthen and expand research collaboration between US and Finnish teams in wireless networking.

What is the main goal of WiFiUS?

The core goal is to support coordinated, binational research projects in wireless communications and networking by pairing US investigators with Finnish collaborators and having each country fund its own researchers.

How is WiFiUS funded if it is a joint program?

WiFiUS does not use a single pooled funding pot. Instead, US investigators request support from NSF, while Finnish collaborators submit a separate, parallel request to the Academy of Finland. The two proposals are expected to describe the same coordinated project.

Do the US and Finnish teams submit one joint proposal or two proposals?

Two proposals are submitted in parallel: one to NSF by the US side and one to the Academy of Finland by the Finnish side. Both submissions are expected to reflect a single integrated project with aligned goals, roles, and outcomes across the two countries.

What NSF directorate is this solicitation associated with?

The solicitation sits within NSF's Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE).

Is WiFiUS connected to an earlier NSF program?

Yes. This opportunity continues an earlier WiFiUS effort referenced as NSF 14-563.

What research areas does WiFiUS support?

WiFiUS targets cutting-edge research challenges in wireless communications and networking. The scope is broad and research-driven, covering novel frameworks, architectures, protocols, theories, methodologies, and tools that can reshape how wireless systems are designed and evaluated.

What kinds of technical themes are emphasized in the solicitation?

A recurring theme is robust and highly dependable wireless communication systems and networks. Proposals are expected to address real technical barriers such as reliability, resilience, performance under uncertainty, and trustworthy operation at scale.

How does the Internet of Things (IoT) relate to WiFiUS?

The emergence of IoT is highlighted as a major driver for this opportunity. IoT introduces new demands like massive device counts, heterogeneous hardware, constrained energy budgets, intermittent connectivity, and diverse application requirements, all of which create new research challenges for dependable wireless networking.

Are IoT-focused projects required to be competitive?

The information provided indicates IoT is a major driver and that projects are well-aligned if they address IoT-style environments. The scope remains broad, so proposals can also be competitive if they advance wireless networking in other meaningful ways consistent with the solicitation's emphasis on new ideas and dependable operation.

Does the program support foundational research or only systems/protocol work?

The solicitation language is inclusive of both foundational research (such as new theories or analytical methods) and systems-oriented contributions (such as new protocols, architectures, or design tools), as long as the work advances wireless networking in a meaningful and defensible way.

What does "dependable wireless systems" mean in this context?

Based on the opportunity description, dependable wireless systems are those designed to be robust and highly reliable, resilient to disruptions, able to perform under uncertainty, and capable of trustworthy operation at scale.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The opportunity is a discretionary grant with CFDA 47.070.

What is the maximum NSF award amount listed for this competition?

The posted award ceiling is $300,000.

How many awards did NSF anticipate making?

NSF anticipated making around 9 awards under this competition.

When was this opportunity created and what was the original deadline?

The opportunity was created on July 15, 2016, with an original closing date of October 17, 2016.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional clarification expected in the full solicitation text. The opportunity description notes that this is common for NSF calls where eligible organization types and proposal requirements are detailed in the program announcement and NSF's standard proposal policies.

Is this a standard single-team wireless networking grant?

No. WiFiUS is explicitly designed for binational collaboration and requires a genuine partnership with Finnish counterparts submitting a parallel request to the Academy of Finland.

What does a "coordinated project" mean for WiFiUS proposals?

A coordinated project means the US and Finnish proposals describe the same overall research effort, with clearly integrated roles, shared objectives, and outcomes spanning both countries.

What characteristics would a competitive WiFiUS submission typically show?

Competitive submissions would typically present a tightly coupled research plan, a clear division of labor that leverages strengths on both the US and Finnish sides, and a joint set of objectives and deliverables that would be difficult to achieve without the US-Finland collaboration.

Does NSF fund Finnish researchers under this program?

The structure described indicates each side funds its own researchers: NSF supports the US side, while the Academy of Finland supports the Finnish side.

What is the practical takeaway for applicants considering WiFiUS?

The key practical takeaway is that applicants should not treat WiFiUS like a typical domestic wireless networking grant. The opportunity is built around a real US-Finland partnership, parallel submissions to two funders, and an integrated project plan with cross-country roles and outcomes.