2022 HENAAC Awards

Education: Ph.D., Materials Science, University of Wisconsin – Madison; Master’s, Materials Science, University of Wisconsin – Madison; Bachelor’s, Mechanical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez. 

Dr. Nayomi Plaza is one of 23 Ph.D. scientists conducting research in wood, fibers, and composites. Her work is instrumental to demonstrating that sustainable wood and wood-based materials can reduce our dependence on greenhouse gas-intensive materials like concrete, steel and plastic.

The youngest scientist on her team at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Products Laboratory, Dr. Plaza has already written over 20 peer reviewed journal articles with over 260 citations.  In 2021, after a peer panel review that all federal scientists undergo every 3-5 years, the panel was so impressed with her body of work that they recommended she be promoted two levels instead of just one – a very rare distinction for such a young scientist.

Dr. Plaza’s research into neutron scattering has been critical to recent advancements in understanding fundamental structure-property relationships in wood cell walls. Her work developing and implementing experimental protocols and techniques to effectively use a process called small angle neutron scattering has been instrumental to the study of wood nanostructures. Dr. Plaza’s systematic neutron scattering research led to multiple breakthrough discoveries that are accelerating researchers’ efforts to develop forest products for sustainable wood materials that can match the performance, versatility, and durability of nonrenewable resources.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Plaza moved to the Midwest for graduate school, completing both her Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in materials science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In between her studies, she served as the chair of the Outreach Committee of the Graduate Engineering Scholars society, where she pioneered the Science Days program, which brought graduate students to local elementary and middle-schools to spark student interest in STEM.

Outside her lab, Dr. Plaza continued to pursue K-12 outreach as well as professional development leadership roles.  In 2021, she co-organized technical sessions on topics like “Advanced Characterization Techniques” and “Wood Modifications” at the 2021 Forest Products Society International Conference, bringing together researchers from around the world.