March is Women’s History Month, celebrating the vital role of women in American history. We at KDNFS like to focus these national observances on the law enforcement impact, as we did with last month’s blog with our take on Black History Month. Now during Women’s History month, we are shining the spotlight on a woman whose invention has saved the lives of countless law enforcement officers across the globe.
In 2014, an East Orange, New Jersey police officer was saved by his bulletproof vest after being shot. East Orange Sgt. Michael Williams was fired upon several times while attempting to apprehend a suspect who was riding a bicycle. He owes his life to Stephanie Kwolek, a Delaware woman, who has saved thousands of police officers and soldiers.
Who is Stephanie Kwolek?
Stephanie Kwolek was born in New Kensington, Pennsylvania in 1923. Kwolek attended the Margaret Morrison Carnegie College of The Carnegie Institute of Technology, now called Carnegie-Mellon University. She graduated in 1946 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and planned to attend medical school. However, she came to realize medical school was too expensive for her. Instead, she took a job at DuPont’s Textile Fabrics Laboratory as a chemist in New York. In 1950, DuPont Pioneering Research Laboratory opened in Delaware where she chose to continue her work.
In a polymer research lab at DuPont, Kwolek discovered the super fiber known as Kevlar. Kwolek’s patent for Kevlar is one of 28 patents she was able to obtain while working at DuPont.
What is Kevlar?
Kevlar is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic stiff fiber that is five times stronger per ounce than steel and about half the density of fiberglass. You will see this type of fiber in vehicle tire rubber. But the use for which Kevlar is best known is the lightweight and nearly impenetrable bulletproof vest.
Kwolek’s Recognition
Kwolek has gone on to receive numerous awards for her achievements, including induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, the National Medal of Technology, and the Perkin Medal. She continued to work in polymer research at the Dupont Pioneering Lab until her retirement in 1986.
Our Thanks to Stephanie Kwolek
Because of this invention, we give thanks to Kwolek for keeping law enforcement and school security specialists safe. Today, her invention helps protect individuals from gun violence. Kwolek has saved so many lives because of her invention and for that, we are eternally grateful.
K.D. National Force Security (KDNFS), LLC’s School Security System was specifically developed and custom-designed for Pre-K through 12th-grade educational environments. Educators, law enforcement agencies, parent-teacher associations, the community, and school boards highly regard our tested and proven system. We are a privately owned, bonded, and fully insured company comprised of credentialed and experienced law enforcement experts. Providing school security services for 10 years, KDNFS has set the standard in school security with each of our professional security specialists, who have more than 20 years of experience.
To learn more about how KDNFS can protect you from senseless violence, contact us at info@kdnfs.com or (609) 635-5037.
