Stephanie Louise Kwolek
Personal Information
Born: 1923
Died: 2014
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: White
Education
Margaret Morrison College of Carnegie Mellon University BS Chemistry 1946
Professional Life
Field of Study: Chemistry
Institution/Corporation: DuPont
Degrees & Memberships: Honoray Degree: Carnegie Mellon University (2001), Worcester Polytechnic Institute (1981), Clarkson University (1997); Member: National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 1980, Chemical Pioneer Award, American Institute of Chemists; 1995, Lavoisier Medal, DuPont; 1995, National Inventors Hall of Fame; 1996, National Medal of Technology & Innovation; 1997, IRI Achievement Award; 1997, Perkins Medal, American Chemical Society; 2003, National Women s Hall of Fame; 1980, Award for Creative Invention, American Chemical Society; Engineering & Science Hall of Fame; 1999, Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award; 1994, American Innovator Award;Kilby Award
Achievements: inventing Kevlar. She discovered the first of a family of synthetic fibers of exceptional strength and stiffness: poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide.
Inventor of Kevlar; signed the patent over to DuPont
Was a chemist at DuPont for over 40 years
Was only 4 feet 11 inches tall
Discovered Kevlar by accident while looking for a lightweight, durable fiber to use in tires
As of August 2019, is the only DuPont female employee to receive the Lavoisier Medal for outstanding technical achievement, the company's highest honor
4th female inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
Her father was an amateur naturalist & she spent hours with him in the woods collecting plants & observing wildlife until his death when she was 10
Initially intended to work at DuPont just long enough to save enough money for medical school & wanted to be a doctor
In addition to Kevlar she contributed to products such as Spandex (Lycra), Nomex, & Kapton
Devised numerous classroom demonstrations that are still used in schools today including the Nylon Rope Trick
Held 29 patents