Executive Assistant Karen Eikner Retires

Executive Assistant Karen Eikner has retired after eight years of service with the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and 21 years with The University of Texas at Austin.

“I was fortunate to be surrounded by brilliant minds with kind hearts,” Eikner said.

Eikner joined the Texas ChE staff in 2009, serving the essential role of overseeing administrative functions to ensure the smooth operation of the department. Prior to this position, Eikner held various senior administrative associate and executive assistant positions in multiple departments in the College of Liberal Arts.

“Karen has served the university for more than two decades, and I have had the pleasure of working with her for the past four years in my role as department chair,” said Dr. Thomas Truskett. “I think it’s not an exaggeration to say that she has impacted almost every aspect our department.”

Now that she has retired, Eikner plans to return to her passions of designing and creating costumes for local dancers and skaters, knitting, and potentially learning to play the saxophone. But for now, her initial plans “are not to plan, just live each day as it comes.”

View photos from Eikner’s retirement party here.

Tags: executive assistant, Karen Eikner, McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, retirement, Texas ChE, The University of Texas at Austin