National Women’s History Month

National Women’s History Month started out as National Women’s History Week in the late 1900’s. What originated as a local celebration catalyzed an overwhelming response from other communities for a K-12 curriculum to include women in their history lessons. As word continues to spread about new and upcoming women’s history projects, the focal point of Women’s History Month only expands with more excitement from educational institutions, communities, and employers. In honor of this national holiday comes the celebration of women inventors and the way their products have changed our lives.

Kevlar: Stephanie Kwolek
The product that is renowned for being five times stronger than steel, Kevlar, is used by everyone from the FBI to leisurely bicycle riders. Stephanie Kwolek was a research chemist and first gained major national attention for her work in 1960. A little more than 10 years later Kwolek presented her findings, which consisted of liquid crystalline polymer solution, whose incredible durability and hardiness led to the production of Kevlar. Kevlar is used today in helmets and bulletproof vests to protect law enforcement officers and soldiers. For those of us who are not part of the police force, we still owe a big thank you to Kwolek for out sturdy skis, hiking, and camping gear.



iRobot: Helen Greiner
Helen Greiner and partner Colin Angle worked with their professor, Dr. Rodney Brooks, in 1990 to experiment with the idea of robots that could be used in everyday life. Their dream was to create a robot that would change the way people interacted with their space. Their robots are practical; iRobots quickly refashioned the way people live their lives and cleaned their homes. Robots can now vacuum floors, clear gutters, and de-leaf swimming pools. Of course these robots are not only used by civilians. iRobots also facilitate bomb-disposals and perilous missions on both land and sea.



Windshield Wiper: Mary Anderson
Over 100 years ago, in 1903, Mary Anderson graced us with something Seattleites would really treasure. The windshield wiper blade was first patented by Mary Anderson in 1903 and truly changed the way cars were used in the rain. Anderson’s wiper blade were operated from the inside of the car and either the driver or the passenger could control the blades with a crank. The windshield wiper revolutionized the commuter’s ability to travel regardless of Mother Nature’s bag of tricks!



DaysAgo: Stephens Stauffer and Kathleen Whitehurst
The DaysAgo Digital Day Counter was invented only a few years ago, in 2005, and is the first of its kind to attach to an array of surfaces. The back of this nifty gadget can adhere to surfaces via a magnet or a suction cup. This makes it super useful for keeping track of how long you’ve had those leftovers in that Tupperware, when you last watered those plants, or when you last took your medication by counting both hours and days. Thanks to Stauffer and Whitehurst we can rest easy knowing our soymilk isn’t spoiled and our pretty flowers will live to see yet another day!



Slingling: Sara Jane Gower
In 2001, Jane Gower needed a way to tote her brand new baby around the streets of Seattle with ease and safety as her top priorities. After much experimentation with different types of baby carriers, Gower found that the simplicity of the Slingling made the most sense for her needs. The fitted pouch design, made out of lightly elastic material, keeps the baby close to the body for a sense of security and the utmost convenience. The no fuss design serves both children and parents alike while the different fabrics and sizes of the Slingling make it really simple to use.



Wristies: KK Gregory
When KK Gregory was only 10 years old she came up with the idea of fingerless gloves. The notion came to her when she was frolicking in the snow and her wrists began to hurt from the cold temperatures. She later deemed her twist on the traditional glove as Wristies. Soon after she was nominated for the “New England Entrepenuer of the Year Award”. Her product is extremely versatile and is used by gymnasts, skiers, and musicians alike. Wristies are available in fun colors and prints that make these knitted goodies loved by children everywhere.



Check out Kelley's King 5 Segment for more info on March 11th!

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