NEWS OF TH E WEEK
STEPHANIE KWOLEK DIES AT 90 OBITUARY: DuPont chemist’s research led to the development of supertough Kevlar fiber
whose synthesis of the first liquid-crystal polymer led to the development of Kevlar, the light, superstrong aramid fiber used in bulletproof vests, body armor, tires, and countless types of sports equipment, died in Wilmington, Del., on June 18. She was 90 years old. “We are all saddened at the passing of DuPont scientist Stephanie Kwolek, a creative and determined chemist and a true pioneer for women in science,” DuPont Chief Executive Officer Ellen J. Kullman said in a statement. “She leaves a wonderful legacy of thousands of lives saved and countless injuries prevented by products made possible by her discovery.”
CHEMICAL HERITAGE FOUNDATION
S
TEPHANIE L. KWOLEK, the DuPont chemist
VIDEO ONLINE
To watch a video of Kwolek recalling her career at DuPont, visit http://cenm.ag/kwolek.
WHITE HOUSE MOVES TO SAVE BEES PESTICIDES: Federal agencies
SHU TTERSTOCK
must advance strategy for protecting pollinators
C
ITING THE “BREADTH, severity, and persis-
tence” of losses of honeybees and other pollinators, President Barack Obama has ordered more than a dozen federal agencies to develop a plan for restoring pollinator populations. The new federal strategy could lead to changes in pesticide regulations. Environmental groups and pesticide manufacturers alike are welcoming the President’s June 20 action. They are pleased that he acknowledges the multiple factors linked to declining pollinator health, including parasitic mites, poor bee management, inadequate nutrition from loss of forage lands, and pesticides. But some environmental groups are continuing to zero in on pesticides, particularly a class of insecticides called the neonicotinoids, saying use of these chemicals needs to diminish to protect pollinators. In a memorandum to federal agencies, Obama ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to assess the impact of all pesticides, including neonicotinoids, CEN.ACS.ORG
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Early in her career, Kwolek joined the search for polymers and lower-temperature condensation processes needed to produce specialty fibers, including those that could be used in lighter, more fuel-efficient tires. Researchers struggled to develop a stiffer and tougher nylon-related fiber until 1965, when Kwolek experimented with polyamide molecules and synthesized a liquid-crystal solution that could be cold-spun into fibers of unprecedented strength and stiffness. That research led to the introduction of Kevlar in the early 1970s. Born to Polish immigrant parents in New Kensington, Pa., Kwolek became enthralled with science while exploring nature with her naturalist father, who died when she was just 10 years old. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Margaret Morrison Carnegie College (now Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh in 1946. She then joined DuPont as a laboratory chemist in Buffalo, intending to stay with the company just long enough to save up for medical school. However, she found her work to be so exciting that she decided to remain with the company, eventually moving to DuPont’s Pioneering Lab in Wilmington. She retired in 1986. Kwolek received the Perkin Medal in 1997 and the National Medal of Technology in 1996. She was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1995. She was an emerita member of ACS, joining in 1947. Kwolek leaves no survivors.—SUSAN AINSWORTH
on pollinator health. EPA had already begun that assessment, but it now has a deadline of 180 days to complete the work and begin any necessary regulatory action. The President also ordered EPA to expedite its review of new pesticide products that target pests, such as mites, that are harmful to pollinators. Pollinators—bees, birds, bats, and butterflies—are disappearing from the environment, Obama’s directive says. “The problem is serious and requires immediate attention to ensure the sustainability of our food production systems, avoid additional economic impact on the agricultural sector, and protect the health of the environment,” it says. The pesticide industry group CropLife America “is hopeful that this level of federal cooperation will help generate practical, science-based solutions for improving pollinator health,” says Jay Vroom, president and CEO of the organization. Vroom adds, “Ongoing research and field studies have consistently found no adverse effects on bee colonies when pesticides are applied according to label directions.” Some environmental and consumer advocacy groups, however, are pressuring EPA to ban neonicotinoid pesticides because of their potential toxicity to bees. The White House announcement “is on the right track,” says Larissa Walker, head of the pollinator campaign at the Center for Food Safety, a public interest advocacy group. But “we need decisive action on pesticides.”—BRITT ERICKSON
JUNE 30, 2014
