Stephanie Louise Kwolek (1923 - 2014)

Born 31 Jul 1923 in New Kensington, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, United States

Died 18 Jun 2014 at age 90 in Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware, United States

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Biography

Stephanie Kwolek is Notable.

Stephanie Kwolek has Polish Roots.

Stephanie Kwolek was a chemist best known for inventing KEVLAR, the synthetic material that's "five times stronger than steel, but lighter than fiberglass." It can withstand extreme temperatures, wear and tear, a space launch, and even bullets. Over 3,000 people have survived gun shots thanks to KEVLAR bullet-proof vests.

She was the daughter of Polish immigrants John Kwolek & Nellie Zajdel. Her father was a naturalist, and her mother was a seamstress who sparked her interest in textiles and fashion. She graduated from Margaret Morrison Carnegie College (the women's college of Carnegie Mellon University) in 1946, and took a job at DuPont Chemicals, which had recently invented nylon, to work on synthetic fibers and polymer research. In 1950 she moved to Wilmington, Delaware to continue working in Dupont's lab, where she stayed until retirement in 1986.

Stephanie Kwolek, "I don't think there's anything like saving someone's life to bring you satisfaction and happiness"

• Invented KEVLAR at DuPont^[1] in 1965^[2]

• research scientist at G.E.^[3][4] and Dupont^[2][1]

Honors

• only female employee to receive Lavoisier Medal from DuPont^[3][2]
• Perkins Award
• 1995 National Inventors Hall of Fame (4th woman) ^[5]
• 1986 retired
• National Research Council
• National Academy of Sciences
• 1980 Chemical Pioneer Award, American Institute of Chemists
• 1980 Award for Creative Invention, American Chemical Society
• 2003 National Women's Hall of Fame ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Wikipedia: Kevlar, accessed 15 June 2016
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Morton, Clay. "Woman whose invention of Kevlar used in bulletproof vests has saved thousands dies at 90." The Dallas Morning News. 20 June 2014. dallasnews.com. Retrieved 13 Feb 2020.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Wikipedia: Stephanie Kwolek, accessed 15 June 2016
4. ↑ "Top 10 Inventions by Women That Changed the World." MsMojo. 14 June 2016. YouTube (Web) 15 June 2016
5. ↑ National Inventors Hall of Fame
6. ↑ National Women's Hall of Fame

See also:

• Burton, Scott. "Dare Bigger: DuPont Kevlar Celebrates 50 Years Of Kevlar With Campaign," BodyArmorNews, (www.bodyarmornews.com : 07 June 2020),
• Howell, Caitlyn. "Innovative Lives: Stephanie Kwolek and Kevlar®, The Wonder Fiber"; LEMELSON CENTER for the Study of Invention and Innovation, Smithsonian National Museum of American History. MARCH 29, 1996.
• Stephanie L Kwolek, Science History Institute, Society of Chemical Industry; last updated on December 9, 2017.
• Britannica Encyclopaedia. "Stephanie Kwolek," July 27, 2022. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stephanie-Kwolek.
• Mary Bellis. "The History of Kevlar: Stephanie Kwolek's Research Led to the Development of Kevlar; ThoughtCo, Dotdash Meredith. February 05, 2020
• "Stephanie Kwolek", American Chemical Society.
• Bregar, Obituary: Kevlar inventor Stephanie Kwolek, Plastics News. June 20, 2014.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #131603223

Kwolek; entered by Paula Ann 07 June 2020.