Stephanie L. Kwolek

Inventor of Kevlar (poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide), Kwolek was an American chemist whose career at DuPont spanned more than 40 years. Her discovery earned her the DuPont Lavoisier Medal for outstanding technical achievement, and as of August 2019 she remained the only female DuPont employee to have received that honor.

In 1995, Kwolek became the fourth woman inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Her contributions to polymer chemistry also earned her the National Medal of Technology, the IRI Achievement Award, and the Perkin Medal.