| Full Name | Stephanie Louise Kwolek |
| Birth Date | July 31, 1923 |
| Birth Place | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Death Date | June 18, 2014 |
| Death Place | Talleyville, Delaware, U.S. |
| Education | Carnegie Mellon University |
| Known For | Invention of Kevlar |
| Fields | Polymer Chemistry |
| Career Span | Over 40 years at DuPont |
| Significant Invention | Poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide (Kevlar) |
| Major Awards | Howard N. Potts Medal (1976), Chemical Pioneer Award (1980), Lavoisier Medal (1995), National Inventors Hall of Fame (1995), National Medal of Technology and Innovation (1996), IRI Achievement Award (1997), Perkin Medal (1997), National Women’s Hall of Fame (2003) |
| Early Life | Born to Polish immigrant parents, grew up in New Kensington, Pennsylvania |
| Father’s Influence | John Kwolek, a naturalist; influenced her interest in science |
| Mother’s Influence | Nellie (Zajdel) Kwolek, a seamstress; influenced her interest in fashion |
| Initial Career Goal | Planned to become a doctor |
| First Job at DuPont | Hired in 1946, initially intended as a temporary job |
| Key Mentor at DuPont | William Hale Charch |
| Major Contribution at DuPont | Developed a lightweight, high-strength fiber for use in radial tires and other applications |
| Unique Honors | Only female employee at DuPont to receive the Lavoisier Medal as of August 2019 |
| Legacy | Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, recognized for her groundbreaking work in polymer chemistry |
