A Woman to Know: Stephanie Kwolek
All sorts of things can happen when you're open to new ideas. — Stephanie Kwolek
(image via Smithsonian Institute)
Stephanie invented Kevlar. By herself, and by accident — she'd been intrigued by the viscous solution her colleagues at DuPont Chemical just threw away after experiments. She kept the solution, tested it herself and showed it to colleagues. Turns out, it was hundreds of times stronger than nylon and other fibers. Now, 50 years after her invention, we see Kevlar everywhere: in bulletproof vests and uniforms; on ropes and suspension bridges; even in frying pans.
Add to your library list:
Stopping Bullets with a Thread: Stephanie Kwolek and Her Incredible Invention (Edwin Brit Wyckoff)
Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women (Catherine Thimmesh)
Read more:
Inspiring Inventor: Stepahnie Kwolek (Smithsonian)
Stephanie Kwolek, Inventor of Kevlar, is Dead at 90 (The New York Times)
Inventor of Kevlar, tougher-than-steel-fiber in bulletproof vests (Al Jazeera)
Hear more:
Stephanie Kwolek: Kevlar (Stuff of Genius)
** Send your own recommendations for women to know! Reply to this newsletter with your lady and she could be featured in an upcoming edition. You can browse the archive here. **