Travel: NSF Student Travel Grant for 2026 IEEE 104th Vehicular Technology Conference (IEEE VTC2026-Fall)

The 2026 IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC) will be held in Boston, Massachusetts, on September 6–9, 2026. It will bring together leading researchers and practitioners from academia and industry to present and discuss the latest advances in wireless, mobile, and vehicular technologies. VTC 2026 will cover a wide range of crucial research topics, including mobile and wireless networking, vehicular communications, edge intelligence, AI/ML for communications, resilient connectivity under mobility and blockage, spectrum sharing, security, and integrated terrestrial–aerial–space networking. As the flagship conference series of the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society (VTS), VTC provides a unique opportunity for graduate students to engage with cutting-edge research, interact with senior researchers, and become part of an active international research community. Participation in VTC is a critical component of graduate training. It enables students to present their work, receive valuable feedback, and build professional networks. This project provides travel support for approximately 10 U.S.-based graduate students to attend VTC 2026 and its associated workshops. Funded students will actively participate in the conference by attending plenary talks, tutorials, technical/application sessions, and an industry track. Students will have the opportunity to showcase their research, receive feedback from leading experts, and gain exposure to cutting-edge developments in wireless, mobile, and vehicular networks. These activities will not only enhance students’ technical knowledge and professional skills but also accelerate the translation of research into real-world wireless and networking systems. By supporting student participation, this project helps cultivate a skilled workforce capable of advancing wireless and networking technologies that underpin critical societal services, such as healthcare, energy systems, transportation, emergency response, education, and national security. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2624387 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Shuai Nie | Institution: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, LINCOLN, NE | Award Amount: $15,000 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2624387 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2624387.html