Support our work

Support from alumni and friends is invaluable for our work to advance scientific education and discovery!

We maintain several specialized departmental funds to ensure donors can direct their support toward the areas they are most passionate about sustaining. 

Whether you're interested in supporting student scholarships, departmental research, equipment upgrades, or general departmental needs, your targeted contribution will make a meaningful impact in that specific area. 

The links below will take you to WWU's give day page, where you can make a donation to support each of the highlighted funds.  Thank you for all you do to support our work in fostering the next generation of scientists and advancing our understanding of the universe!

Physics & Astronomy Program Support 

Help fund faculty research, visiting speakers and other departmental events, and summer research stipends that allow our students to dive deep on a research topic and pursue meaningful scientific inquiry in partnership with WWU faculty. 

Student Scholarships

Invest in promising minds by supporting scholarships for dedicated students pursing degrees in physics and astronomy. Your gift will remove financial barriers and enable students to dedicate themselves fully to their academic and professional development. 

Spanel Planetarium

Share the wonder of the cosmos with our community! Your donation helps maintain the planetarium's equipment and supports our expert presenters who bring the night sky to life for hundreds of visitors each year, including campus groups and K-12 students from classes throughout Whatcom and Skagit counties.

Max Knittel Fund for Experimental Physics

Honor the many contributions of Max Knittel, the department's long-serving lab coordinator & technical support staff member, by supporting student-led experimental projects. We're working toward a $25,000 endowment goal to create a permanent funding source for hands-on learning opportunities that transform theoretical knowledge into practical scientific & technical skills. 

PhIS Club

Physicists for Inclusion in STEM (PhIS) is a student-led organization in Western's Physics and Astronomy department. Their primary focuses are public outreach, providing support to undergraduate Physics and Astronomy students, and promoting inclusion and equity work in the Physics and Astronomy Department and the College of Science and Engineering (CSE).