WASHINGTON— The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science has announced the selection of 75 doctoral students from 58 universities for the 2026 Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program. The awardees represent 30 states and Puerto Rico.
The SCGSR program is designed to prepare PhD candidates for careers within the Office of Science by enhancing their understanding of natural systems and bolstering America’s energy and national security. Participants gain access to cutting-edge facilities, expertise, and resources at DOE’s National Laboratories.
“The Office of Science is proud to support this outstanding cohort of graduate students as they take their research to the next level at our world-class National Laboratories,” said DOE Under Secretary for Science Darío Gil. “By connecting these talented researchers with premier scientific facilities and mentorship from leading Laboratory scientists, the SCGSR program not only enriches their doctoral training, but also bolsters the next generation of American innovators tackling our nation’s most pressing energy and scientific challenges.”
Selection for the awards involved a competitive review process, where external experts evaluated applications based on scientific merit. The projects undertaken by the awardees address significant energy challenges affecting both national and international contexts. This year’s cohort includes work in seven Office of Science research programs, focusing on areas such as quantum information science, fusion energy, and accelerator science.
Eligible candidates for the SCGSR program include graduate students pursuing PhDs in fields such as physics, chemistry, material sciences, and computer sciences, provided their research aligns with the Office of Science’s mission. The program offers the opportunity to enhance doctoral research in collaboration with DOE National Laboratory scientists.
The SCGSR program has been active since 2014, having awarded over 1,500 U.S. graduate students from 178 universities with funds to support their thesis research at DOE National Laboratories.
More information on applying for the next cycle is available on the SCGSR How to Apply page on the U.S. DOE Office of Science website. A complete list of the current awardees, along with their affiliated institutions and priority research areas, can also be found on the SCGSR Awards and Publications page.
