PNNL-WSU Distinguished Graduate Research Program applications open for Fall 2026 cohort

The WSU Office of Research, the WSU Graduate School, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are pleased to announce the call for applications for the tenth cohort of the Distinguished Graduate Research Program (DGRP). Incoming students are nominated jointly by a WSU faculty and a PNNL scientist.

The DGRP is intended to increase the quality and quantity of STEM doctoral students across the WSU system, while providing an enhanced research experience by aligning WSU faculty, students, and PNNL scientists with the unique capabilities and research programs at PNNL.

Students in the DGRP are funded by their WSU and PNNL advisors, not by the DGRP. Prior to completing course requirements and successfully passing the preliminary exam, students within the DGRP will receive financial support commensurate with department norms funded by a WSU college, department, faculty, or grant.

After completing these milestones (known at WSU as ABD – All But Dissertation), DGRP students will receive a salary at Step 100 that is funded by the PNNL research advisor for up to two years while the student is performing research directly with their PNNL advisor. Additionally, during this period of PNNL funding, students will receive full tuition waivers for the fall and spring semesters provided by the WSU Graduate School through the WSU Graduate School All But Dissertation (ABD) Waiver Program (two semesters) and through a commitment for tuition flex waivers (two semesters).

Interested co-advisors from WSU and PNNL should submit a joint-DGRP application online. Advisor applications have a hard deadline of February 3, 2026.

For more information and application instructions, please visit https://natlab.wsu.edu/dgrp/, or email DGRP@wsu.edu.