Murdock Partners in Science @ WSU In-Service Teacher Application

Murdock Partners in Science @ WSU

Summer Research Experiences for In-service and Pre-service Science Teachers
**APPLICATIONS DUE BY FEB 16, 2026**

This application is for In-Service Teachers.

The Murdock Partners in Science @ WSU (PIS@WSU) program engages both in-service and pre-service secondary science teachers in authentic and innovative research experiences in an active research lab located one of 4 WSU campuses (Vancouver, Tri-Cities, Spokane, Pullman) or 2 WSU Research and Extension Centers (Puyallup, Prosser). While working side-by-side over two consecutive summers with a WSU Research Mentor, as well as with their graduate students, postdocs and technical staff, Partner Teachers gain new knowledge and build a scientific identity that allows them to guide their students toward building their own science identity and learning.

More broadly, the PIS@WSU program supports collaborations between science teachers and academic scientists toward new discoveries and the advancement of science, with the goal that both groups will grow professionally in the process.

Please visit the PIS @ WSU website to learn about the Research Mentors and research projects available for Summers 2026 and 2027:

https://vancouver.labs.wsu.edu/murdockpartnersinscienceatwsu/
About the PIS@WSU Program

Teacher Partners in the PIS@WSU Program spend ~8 weeks full time each summer over two consecutive years engaging in research activities with a WSU faculty member in their lab. These activities could include field work and laboratory experiments, data collection and compilation, quantitative analysis and interpretation of results, and communicating findings to research peers. Throughout the two summers, Teacher Partners will be immersed in the day-to-day operation of an active academic research group, ranging from formal discussions during lab meetings and/or reading groups to informal conversations among like-minded colleagues.

In addition to the two summers of research, Teacher Partners will participate in two conferences each year hosted by the Murdock Charitable Trust. The Partners in Science “Research Symposium” occurs each January in Portland, OR, and brings PIS teachers and mentors together from around the Pacific Northwest to share research findings through poster and oral presentations. The PIS “Teaching Practices Conference” occurs each August in Vancouver, WA, and provides PIS teachers the opportunity to share ideas with each other and learn best practices for translating their research experience into their teaching of science and scientific inquiry.
Benefits of the PIS@WSU Program for Teachers

The PIS@WSU Program will provide Teacher Partners with the following:
- A $6,500 (in-service teachers) or $5,000 (pre-service teachers) each summer for two summers
- Travel, lodging and meal expenses to attend two Murdock PIS conferences in Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR each year
- The opportunity to conduct discovery research with a WSU faculty Research Mentor and graduate students in their lab
- Active mentorship in research
- Potential to contribute to a scientific publication
- Supportive opportunities for professional development
- Option to apply for up to $3,500 to purchase research-related equipment and supplies for their school after completing the two-year program (in-service teachers only)
Eligibility and Criteria for Selection as an in-service Teacher Partner

We encourage applications from current science teachers who:
- Currently hold a full-time position at an accredited middle or high school in Washington, Oregon or Idaho.
- Earned a BS or BA degree in a natural science-related discipline (or a BS or BA degree of any type plus 3 years’ experience teaching science classes at the middle or high school level).
- Demonstrate experience using inquiry-based pedagogies and/or show a strong interest in developing their own scientific knowledge and experience in order to improve such classroom approaches.
- Demonstrate evidence of commitment to professional development (e.g., past participation in workshops, trainings, summer programs, etc.).
- Provide a positive statement of support from their current principal to participate in the program.
- Can commute 1 hour or less (one-way) on a ~daily basis to one of the WSU campuses (Vancouver, Tri-Cities, Spokane) or research center locations (Puyallup, Prosser) for the entirety of both 8-week summer sessions (actual frequency of commuting may vary depending on the needs of the summer research project).
How to Apply

Please move to the next page of this form to review and answer the application questions, submit a current resume, and list the name and contact information for your principal who will then be contacted to sign and submit a statement of support.

Due date for the online application AND receipt of principal support statement is February 16, 2026.

PIS@WSU Application Form

Due date is February 16, 2026 to complete this form AND for your principal to submit their Statement of Support. WSU will contact your principal upon receipt of your application to request the Statement.
Personal Contact Information
Your Name*

First NameLast Name
Your Home Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Your Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.Format: (000) 000-0000.
Your Email*
example@example.com
Preferred pronouns (optional)
Your Birth Date*

MonthDayYear
School Contact Information
School Name*
School Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
School Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.Format: (000) 000-0000.
Your Education and Professional Development Background

Please list all degrees and majors you have earned.*

Rows	Date	School Name	Degree	Major/minor
1
2
3
4

Please list your most relevant SCIENCE courses taken as part of your undergraduate and/or graduate degree(s).*

Rows	Year	Course
1
2
3
4
5

Please list any professional developmental experience you'd like us to know about and briefly describe the experience(s).
Your Teaching Experience

List all teaching experiences starting with the most recent.*

Rows	School years/dates	School Name	Courses	Grade levels
1
2
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5

Application Questions

Please provide answers to the following questions in 250 words or less.
Why are you interested in participating in the PIS@WSU program for summers 2026 and 2027?*

0/250
How would you describe your approach to teaching science? What sorts of strategies and practices do you employ with students to enhance their learning of science content? *

0/250
Please describe how your previous experiences, education and/or interests make you a good candidate for a research partnership. Include areas of science that you find particularly interesting.*

0/250
Tell us about your students and how you think this experience would be beneficial to them?*

0/250
Describe your school/department, including size of school, # of science teachers, student demographics (% ethnicities/races) and % of students receiving free lunch.*

0/250
Please upload a pdf copy of your most recent resume.*

Cancelof

Principal Recommendation and Statement of Support

Please provide the name and contact information of your school principal. We will contact them to provide a brief recommendation and to indicate their commitment to provide substitute support for your attendance at all Murdock PIS conferences (January and August of both years), should you be selected as a Teacher Partner. **Please contact them to ask permission prior to including them in your application.**
Your Principal's Name*

First NameLast Name
Your Principal's School Email*
example@example.com
Your Principal's School Phone*
Please enter a valid phone number.Format: (000) 000-0000.

Final Steps
I understand that the PIS@WSU Program requires in-person attendance and full-time participation (exact number of hours/week will vary by project) for two consecutive summers at one of the WSU campuses or research centers, for which I would be paid a $6,500 (in-service teacher) or $5,000 (pre-service) stipend for each summer. I also understand that I am expected to attend a 2-day conference in Portland, OR, in January 2027 and January 2028 as well as a 2-day conference in Vancouver, WA, in August 2026 and August 2027 (all travel expenses will be covered by the PIS@WSU program). I further understand that after successful completion of two summers of research as an In-service Teacher Partner, I would be eligible to apply for up to $3,500 toward classroom equipment and supplies for my school.*

Yes
Please verify that you are human (and not a robot!)*
Review and Submit

Please review your answers by clicking on the "Preview Answers" button below.

If you are satisfied with your answers, then click on the "Submit Application" button.

**Please note that your application is not submitted until you click "Submit"

If your submission was successful, you will receive an email confirmation to the email address you listed under Personal Information. If you do not receive the email confirmation within 24 hours, check your spam or junk folder. If it's not there, or you have any other problems with this form, please contact Julie Zimmerman, PIS @ WSU Program Coordinator (juliezimmerman@wsu.edu).
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Murdock Partners in Science @ WSU

PIS@WSU Application Form

Application Questions

Indicate your preferences for a Research Mentor and research project

Principal Recommendation and Statement of Support

Demographic Information

Final Steps