Teresa Plumley Karjala ’87, a Michigan Tech chemical engineering alumna, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. Karjala is recognized for her leadership in the field of polyolefin production development, production, and commercialization. The NAE Class of 2026 will be formally inducted at the NAE Annual Meeting this fall.
“Being elected to the National Academy of Engineering is a great honor, and I am truly humbled to be elected to such an esteemed organization,” said Karjala. “This recognition reflects not only my individual contributions but also the collective efforts of the teams, collaborators, and mentors I’ve had the privilege to work with throughout my career.”
Karjala is a Senior R&D Fellow in the Packaging and Specialty Plastics division of Dow, Inc. She graduated from Michigan Tech in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and received her doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware in 1992.