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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 27, 2014 10:04 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Becky Corbin |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Resolution Honoring the Life of Chemist Stephanie Louise Kwolek |
| Women continue to be vastly underrepresented in the fields of science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM). The highly publicized pay disparity between men and women is largely the result of fewer women seeking careers in higher wage STEM industries. According to experts, one reason women are less likely to work in these areas is a lack of same-gender role models. For this reason, I am introducing a resolution to honor a trailblazing female chemist, Stephanie Kwolek, who passed away on June 18, 2014, at the age of 90. Kwolek, who patented 17 products, is best known for inventing Kevlar, a stronger-than-steel fiber that is today used in body armor and bullet-proof vests. She created Kevlar in 1964 while working at DuPont, where she had been employed since graduating in 1946 from what is now Carnegie Mellon University. Approximately 3,000 law enforcement officers have been saved as a result of Kevlar-containing vests, and thousands more of our military personnel have survived attacks because of Kwolek’s invention. Upon her retirement in 1986, she began actively working to persuade young women to enter STEM-related fields. By introducing this resolution, I hope to draw attention to her achievements and to continue her legacy of inspiring women to consider exciting and rewarding careers in science and technology. Please join me in cosponsoring this resolution to honor the life of Stephanie Kwolek. |
Introduced as HR978