About WICAT

The Wireless Internet Center for Advanced Technology (WICAT) is a multi-university R&D center sponsored by the National Science Foundation under its program of Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers(I/UCRC), of which there are about 40. Polytechnic University is the lead institution in WICAT.

The mission of WICAT is to collaborate with industry research partners to create flexible, efficient, and secure wireless networks that satisfy communication needs in businesses, in the home and in the lives of individuals. WICAT researchers work closely with industrial sponsors through the Industrial Affiliates Program. The research programs help the sponsoring  industries to increase the value of their investments in wireless technology by providing them with insight into leading  edge technologies, and strategies for leveraging technology investments. Research is carried out by faculty members working with undergraduate students, graduate students and post-docs, thereby contributing to the training of next generation of wireless professionals.
 
WICAT was initially established at Polytechnic University with support from the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR) in 2001. It received a planning grant from the NSF in 2003, and was established as an I/UCRC in september 2004, along with Columbia University. The University of Virginia joined WICAT in 2006.

WICAT works closely with the Center for Advanced Technology in Telecommunication (CATT), which is a New York State sponsored research center at Polytechnic University.