This article first appeared on POWDERwireless.net
The CyberPowder Fellows Program is a wireless networking hands-on training and research mentoring program for US-based graduate students funded by the National Science Foundation. The Program addresses the problem that wireless experimental research is inherently multidisciplinary, crossing the EE and CS divide; that wireless networking is undergoing rapid technology and regulatory change; and that today’s wireless testbeds are highly sophisticated, which also means they require significant training to use. The Program is led by three professors across EE and CS at the University of Utah, Neal Patwari, Robert Ricci and Kobus Van der Merwe, with support from the POWDER platform technical staff. The Program trains students across the wireless stack to perform wireless related research on POWDER, the world’s largest openly-accessible software-defined wireless testbed. POWDER is deployed across the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City and remotely accessible from anywhere in the world.
The CyberPowder Fellows Program consists of:
- Weekly research-focused online wireless networking training meetings from January-April, which are a combination of lecture and hands-on labs that fellows complete on the POWDER platform.
- Engagement with fellows and their advisors on research ideation to support them in defining experimentation plans associated with their research objectives.
- A week-long research exploration at the POWDER platform at the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City, during which fellows will work with the platform and its elements and enact the experimental research plan they have defined.
- Continued research support provided by the POWDER technical staff after the formal completion of the program.
Why should you apply?
- If you are a graduate student with thesis research in wireless networking areas, e.g., radio propagation, wireless communications, spectrum sharing etc. (E.g., here is a list of published research that have used the POWDER platform, and here is information on the projects the CyberPowder Fellows did in 2025 and 2026.)
- If you expect your research to be experimental (e.g., measurements, real world validation).
- If you can commit to weekly class Zoom meetings (anticipated to be on Fridays from 10am-12:40pm MT) and homework assignments during Jan-Apr 2027 and a one week visit to Salt Lake City, Utah (likely in early May 2027).
The CyberPowder Fellows Program is free to selected graduate student Fellows, including travel to Salt Lake City for the week-long research exploration.
How to apply:
- Talk with your faculty research advisor – they will continue to mentor your PhD research, and coordinate with the CyberPowder staff, to discuss your planned project during the entirety of the Fellows program. Depending on your advisor and home institution policies, you may be able to obtain independent study course credit for the CyberPowder Fellows Program.
- Fill out the application.
For full consideration please apply by November 13th, 2027. Selected Fellows will be notified by December 1st, 2026.
Important dates and planned timeline for 2027 CyberPowder Fellows Program:
- Applications due: November 13th 2026
- Faculty research advisor response due: November 20th 2026
- Notification of selected Fellows: December 1st 2026
- Online training sessions start (planned): Week of January 11th 2027
- Online training sessions complete (planned): Week of April 19th 2027
- In-person research exploration week at POWDER facility (planned): early May 2027
Note that while the CyberPowder Fellows Program is primarily aimed at US based graduate students, we might be able to accommodate a small number of non-US students. (Such participants will not be eligible to receive travel funds.) Please contact us if you might be interested in this option.
Enquiries please email at: [email protected]
