Paul Ransom
Strategic Planning Division, Acting Chief
Office of Spectrum Management (OSM), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
About Paul Ransom
Dr. Paul Ransom is the Acting Chief of the Strategic Planning Division in the Office of Spectrum Management, the Division and Office of Spectrum Management lead national efforts to shape the future of spectrum policy and planning. He currently chairs the Spectrum Relocation Fund Technical Panel, a congressionally mandated body that approves funding for spectrum research and engineering studies aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of federal spectrum use. The panel also ensures federal spectrum transition plans support auction timelines, promote relocation or sharing of spectrum, and enable the recovery of federal investments.
Dr. Ransom served as the technical lead for the 2024 National Spectrum Strategy and Implementation Plan, a landmark initiative that reflects his leadership and deep expertise in spectrum management. Since joining the division in 2020, he has played a central role in federal spectrum repurposing efforts and serves as the NTIA liaison to the National Science Foundation’s Spectrum Innovation Initiative, supporting research and innovation in advanced spectrum technologies.
With over 20 years of federal service, Dr. Ransom brings a wealth of experience across defense, science, and telecommunications domains. He began his career at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Bethesda, Maryland, conducting advanced research in electromagnetic materials for radar cross section (RCS) reduction and performing both field and laboratory RCS measurements. He later served as a Program Officer at the Office of Naval Research in the Sea Weapons and Warfare Department (now the Advanced Naval Platforms Department), and as Chief Technologist in NOAA’s Radio-
Frequency Interference Monitoring System Project Management Office, supporting the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service.
Dr. Ransom holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Southern University and A&M and an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech, and a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Catholic University of America.