The University of Virginia'sCharles L. Brown Department of Electrical and Computer Engineeringhas formed a multi-institution research team to chart a path toward a vibrant future wireless environment compatible with both commercial applications and scientific research. The team is establishing a center for Wireless Hardware Innovations and Signal Processing for Enhanced Radio-Astronomy and Scientific Spectrum Sharing, or WHISPERS. A planning grant from the National Science Foundation Spectrum Innovation Initiative supports their effort to address policy and technology challenges created by the worldwide growth of wireless systems and applications. Wireless systems including 5G and beyond support numerous applications from personal communications and navigation to radar and sensing. The dramatically expanded need for access to the radio spectrum results in radio congestion and increases pressure on government regulators to allocate new commercial spectrum at higher frequencies, beyond 100 Gigahertz. Recognizing the significant technical challenges of disparate interests seeking to share the same spectrum, WHISPERS combines researchers' expertise in design, metrology, detectors, devices and system hardware solutions that have advanced international scientific research operating in microwave to terahertz frequencies and beyond.