Eligibility and Description:

The Weed Science Society of America is offering up to (6) Annual Meeting Grants to qualifying graduate student members for their first attendance at the WSSA annual meeting. These grants will provide for annual meeting registration fees as well as up to four nights lodging while at the meeting. Students and/or their graduate advisor are responsible for all remaining costs incurred to attend the WSSA annual meeting, including travel and meals.

These awards are provided by WSSA to graduate students to encourage their involvement in the society’s annual meeting early in their degree programs, and to broaden the attendance of graduate students from nontraditional weed science research programs. The awards are limited to students attending the WSSA annual meeting for the first time. Names of awardees will be announced at the WSSA awards ceremony.

Application Requirements:
1. Applicant must be a graduate student in good standing from an accredited institution with an interest in weed science and a desire to become a contributing member of the WSSA and the WSSA annual meeting.
2. Applicants must have written support from a faculty member at their current university.
3. The applicant must be willing to work at the 2026 WSSA annual meeting in a responsible and professional manner as directed in a designated area and/or with a designated responsibility for a portion of the WSSA annual meeting. Work responsibilities may include assisting with session operations, supporting the registration desk, poster session set-up or teardown, or other related duties involved in the operations of the WSSA annual meeting.

A complete application package should consist of the following:
1. Student name and address.
2. Full name of the institution of graduate studies and beginning date of the current graduate
degree program.
3. Current GPA and anticipated date of graduation and degree to be conferred.
4. Brief description of current research activities (200 words or less).
5. Title and abstract for any presentation(s) planned for the 2026 WSSA annual meeting.
6. Applicant’s objectives for attending the 2026 WSSA annual meeting (300 words or less).
7. Letter of support from the applicant’s supporting faculty member. The letter should address the applicant’s reason for participation in the 2026 WSSA annual meeting and the likelihood that the applicant’s goals while at the annual meeting can be met. The letter of support
must be <1 page.

Application should be submitted by the graduate student as a single email attachment (PDF only) to Cara McCauley ([email protected]) by October 31, 2025 with subject line “WSSA Graduate Student Travel Award”. Applications not sent as a single PDF may not be accepted.