1923 - 2014
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The world moves forward because of game changers, those who see possibilities where others see limits. Across every industry, innovative organizations are transforming the way we live.
The Chemist Who Made Steel Look Soft
Before body armor could be light and life-saving, Stephanie Kwolek made a quiet discovery in a DuPont lab that changed everything. She wasn’t trying to invent anything groundbreaking…
But she did.
In 1965, Kwolek created Kevlar, a super-strong fiber that’s five times stronger than steel and is still used today to save lives and strengthen everyday items, making it one of the most essential materials ever invented.
Born in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, in 1923, Stephanie Kwolek developed a deep curiosity about the natural world, sparked by her father, an amateur naturalist who passed away when she was ten. Her mother, a seamstress, encouraged her to pursue an intellectually ambitious path, steering her toward a career in science.
She studied chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University and graduated in 1946. Originally planning to go to medical school, she accepted a job at DuPont to fund her dreams, but quickly fell in love with polymer chemistry instead.
In the early 1960s, DuPont tasked her team with finding a stronger alternative to steel for tire reinforcement. In 1965, she noticed a cloudy, opalescent polymer solution that resembled a lab accident, but insisted it be spun into fiber, despite skepticism.
What emerged was Kevlar: a lightweight synthetic fiber five times stronger than steel, heat-resistant, and rigid under stress. Kevlar was commercialized in the early 1970s. It revolutionized materials science and became the backbone of bulletproof vests, astronaut gear, aerospace cables, sporting equipment, and industrial safety tools.
Stephanie received numerous accolades, including the National Medal of Technology (1996), induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame (1995) and the National Women’s Hall of Fame (2003), and DuPont’s prestigious Lavoisier Medal in 1995.
After retiring in 1986, she continued consulting, advocating for science education (especially for girls), and even popularizing the “nylon rope trick” chemistry demonstration still used in classrooms today.
Stephanie Kwolek passed away in Wilmington, Delaware, on June 18, 2014, at age 90. Her quiet brilliance and unwavering curiosity saved countless lives and shaped the world’s approach to strong, lightweight materials.
At Wellspring, we empower breakthroughs. Our solutions give innovators the tools, insights, and confidence to turn bold ideas into game-changing realities. Every great innovation begins with a decision to change the game. Will you be next?
