>> Registration is open for ISART 2026 <<

The International Symposium on Advanced Radio Technologies (ISART)™ is a U.S. government–sponsored conference hosted by the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS), the science and engineering laboratory of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a bureau of the Department of Commerce (DOC). ISART is a science and engineering discussion-based conference that brings together government, industry, and academic leaders (both domestic and international) for the purpose of forecasting the development and application of advanced radio technologies.

For over two decades, ISART has contributed scientific and technical input towards encouraging sound, forward-looking spectrum management and regulatory policies that rely on careful engineering and ground-breaking research. The focus of ISART is to engage in a wide-ranging technical discussion. ISART does not represent NTIA policy positions.

This year’s conference opens a multi-year exploration into the “next major breakthrough” in spectrum capacity. ISART 2026 asks: What innovations will allow us to maximize spectrum use to meet demands from a vast and growing array of uses?

ISART™ 2026: Sketching a Spectrum Management Blueprint

August 11–13, 2026 | Boulder, Colorado, USA, and virtually

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ISART 2026 Themes

• Data Foundations for AI/ML — defining, collecting, and standardizing the datasets needed to enable advanced AI/ML models for spectrum management.
• AI/ML Applications for Autonomous Spectrum Operations — developing tools that enable systems to operate cooperatively and avoid interference across commercial, federal, and mixed-use environments.
• Hardware Evolutions for Next-Generation Spectrum Use — examining sensor fusion, radio architectures, and innovations necessary to support the long-term goal of dynamic spectrum use.

Why Participate?

ISART brings together government, industry, and academic leaders (both domestic and international) to tackle the most complex spectrum challenges through collaborative, technically rigorous dialogue. ISART 2026 will set the stage for aligning technical advances, data approaches, and policy considerations around future spectrum systems. By attending, you will have the opportunity to actively contribute to and shape the future of spectrum.

Event Details

• Dates: August 11–13, 2026
• Venue: Embassy Suites by Hilton, 2601 Canyon Boulevard, Boulder, Colorado, USA

Key Contributors

General Chair: David Goldstein, NTIA-ITS

Technical Co-Chairs:

• Shariq Ashfaq, NTIA-ITS

• Robert Ballard, NTIA-ITS

• Ryan McCullough, NTIA-ITS

• Jaden Pieper, NTIA-ITS

Technical Program Committee:

• Prasanth Ananth, Nokia Bell Labs

• Kumar Balachandran, Ericsson

• Charles Bayliss, Austin Egbert, Baylor University
• Marla Dowell, EDGE Consortium, Dartmouth College

• Amit Mukhopadhyay, Verizon

• Neeti Tandon, AT&T

• Martin Weiss, Joshua Weaver, Future G Office, OUSW(R&E), DoW

Agenda

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

09:00–09:10	Welcome / Introduction
09:10–09:35	Keynote: Sketching a Spectrum Management Blueprint: Applying AI/ML and Hardware
09:35–10:00	Opening Remarks: Conference Overview
10:00–10:30	Break
10:30–10:45	Opening Remarks: Day #1 Overview
10:45–12:00	Panel: Defining the Data Problem for AI/ML in Spectrum
12:00–13:30	Lunch
13:30–14:00	Technical Talk: Lessons from Existing Spectrum Datasets
14:00–14:30	Technical Talk: Data Collection, Standardization, and Public Access
14:30–15:00	Break
15:00–16:15	Panel: Evaluation Frameworks for ML vs Classical Solutions
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
09:00–09:15	Opening Remarks: Day #2 Overview
09:15–10:00	Fireside Chat: Autonomous Spectrum Management: Vision and Reality
10:00–10:30	Break
10:30–11:00	Technical Talk: Cognitive Radio: A Brief History and Discussion of Recent Advancements
11:00–11:30	Technical Talk: Current research into intelligent operations
11:30–12:00	Technical Talk: Current research into intelligent operations
12:00–13:30	Lunch
13:30–14:30	Data Sharing Workshop Part 1: Identifying Challenges and Brainstorming
14:30–15:00	Break
15:00–16:30	Data Sharing Workshop Part 2: Building Consensus
Thursday, August 13, 2026
09:00–09:15	Opening Remarks: Day #3 Overview
09:15–09:30	Technical Talk: Physics-informed ML for Propagation Modeling
09:30–10:00	Technical Talk: Emerging Hardware Architectures for AI-enabled Spectrum Systems
10:00–10:30	Break
10:30–11:45	Panel: Enabling Spectrum Agility: Hardware Requirements and Research
11:45–13:15	Lunch
13:15–14:00	Technical Talk: One Aperture, One Solution: Wideband Active Antenna Performance Across 600 MHz to 7 GHz
14:00–15:15	Panel: AI-RAN in Practice: Testbeds, Hardware enablement, and the path to 6G
15:15–15:45	Break
15:45–16:15	Keynote: Retrospective: 20 years of Marketplace Forces in Spectrum Management
16:15–16:30	Wrap-up discussion / Next steps

General Chair
David Goldstein	NTIA-ITS
Technical Co-Chairs
Shariq Ashfaq	NTIA-ITS
Robert Ballard	NTIA-ITS
Ryan McCullough	NTIA-ITS
Jaden Pieper	NTIA-ITS
Technical Program Committee
Prasanth Ananth	Nokia Bell Labs
Kumar Balachandran	Ericsson
Charles Bayliss Austin Egbert	Baylor University
Marla Dowell	EDGE Consortium, Dartmouth College
Amit Mukhopadhyay	Verizon
Neeti Tandon	AT&T
Martin Weiss Joshua Weaver	FutureG Office, OUSW(R&E), DoW