Available Scholarships

Apple Valley Library Book Club

< Return to Listings

Dr. Karl Warren Plumlee – September 30, 1949 – February 13, 2016 – was an esteemed chemist, executive and professor.  He was a graduate with honors from North Central College with a B.A. in chemistry and mathematics and received his M.S. and Ph.D. with honors in Physical Chemistry from Northwestern University.  Dr. Plumlee worked from 1975-1987 with Exxon in Texas and from 1987 -2005 was V.P. of Engineering for W.R. Grace in Columbia, MD and Hesperia, CA. During his career, Dr. Plumlee conducted research into converting coal into liquid fuels, presented various technical papers, wrote articles published by the American Chemical Society, was responsible for construction of manufacturing facilities around the world, and led a lab that conducted medical product development in purification of pharmaceuticals with an emphasis on chromatography.  His work led to twenty-two patents. After retiring from corporate work, Professor Plumlee pursued his passion and taught part time at Victor Valley Community College from 2005 – 2014 as a mathematics instructor and full time as a chemistry teacher at California State University San Bernardino. Dr. Plumlee was an honorary member of the Apple Valley Library Book Club, which his wife, Betty, founded.  To honor his memory and love of education, the Apple Valley Library Book Club is presenting the Dr. Karl Warren Plumlee Scholarship