The goals of our Industrial Participants Program are:

• To create a strong, industrially relevant research program with high impact potential by actively encouraging industrial input on the definition and direction of the program.
• To maximize the exposure and interaction between students and industry.
• To generate industrially relevant intellectual property in the wireless communications field.

When considering CWC membership, there are a number of compelling factors:

• First, there are many commonly shared research objectives that can be addressed more expeditiously and cost-effectively at an academic center. We seek advice from member companies on our research projects and we allocate research funding based on company interests.



• Second, all companies have ongoing employment needs for engineers with excellent training in subjects specific to their interests. The graduate students supported by the Center are a valuable resource for meeting these needs.



• Third, the CWC has achieved international prominence in wireless communication research. This has been achieved through many years of priority faculty recruitment in the various wireless communications disciplines. The distinguished faculty and international recognition have greatly enhanced the quality of our students and their research.

The Industrial Participants Program is designed to provide benefits to our member companies, including the following:

The center carries out its research program via many multidisciplinary projects. Each addresses a specific research issue from the many relevant technical aspects. We seek company input on the selection and prioritization of these projects, and we only pursue research that is of interest to our member companies. This company input assures that the research is responsive to company interests and also assures that the research focus of our CWC graduate student's research is industry relevant, cutting edge and high impact.

In May and November of each year we conduct research reviews on all of our projects. Member companies are invited to send their engineers and managers to participate. The lead professor on each project presents the overview and each Ph.D. student researcher or Post Doctoral researcher presents their research plans and progress. These reviews have proven to be a very effective way to communicate with member companies on ongoing research progress.

We maintain a convenient website for member companies where they can access:
- The presentation materials and videos of all semi-annual research reviews.
- The research publications by all CWC professors and graduate students.
- The annual progress reports on all CWC research projects.

All CWC member companies receive equal benefits and they leverage their annual dues in several ways:
- They gain access to a research program that is two orders of magnitude greater than their financial contribution (i.e., for $120,000 dues they receive the benefits of a $2,500,000/year targeted research program.
- They will likely receive a State of California financial match on their funding. This occurs when the CWC multi-disciplinary projects are proposed to a State matching grant program.
- The research is accomplished by exceptional Ph.D. student researchers whose financial support is much less expensive than professional employees.
- The academic year salaries of professors are paid by the University of California from State appropriations.

Companies establish a relationship with CWC professors when they join the Center. This connection can be used by member companies to communicate with faculty as needed. Our CWC professors do respond to member companies to answer questions and interact on technical issues. Member companies also find it useful to communicate with other member companies via the neutral CWC activities and interactions.

Through their involvement in Center activities, participating companies enjoy wide exposure to our students. This exposure stems from direct contact at semi-annual research reviews and other events, and through summer internships. These students are trained to be the next-generation of leaders in the wireless communications industry.

Written progress reports are prepared annually on each research project. Each participating professor and student researcher contributes to these reports.

At least once a year, a minimum of one CWC faculty member visits each member company, and conducts a seminar summarizing recent wireless research activities. Additional seminars can be arranged based on company interest.

Each member company can send employees to participate in Center research programs. These visitors typically are in residence for one year. Their research is supervised by a CWC professor and they are fully integrated into a research team

Ownership of inventions created under company sponsored research projects will be held by the University of California, unless the invention is joint with a member company inventor, in which case, the invention will be jointly owned. However, member companies receive preferential treatment on licensing Center inventions, including the possibility of a non-exclusive royalty free license. All company members have equal access to CWC inventions, without regard to which specific projects they have decided to support.

Company membership fees are used in direct support of the Center research programs. Most funds go toward supporting the approximate 50 Ph.D. students conducting the research programs. The university has waived all indirect costs on membership fees unless the company's research projects are supported by matching state funds, in which case indirect costs must be paid. The membership fee is determined by the gross revenues enjoyed by a company, and ranges from $37,500 to $120,000 per annum.