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WILMINGTON, Del., April 8, 2005 – DuPont today announced the recipients of the Lavoisier Medal for Technical Achievement – presented each year to DuPont scientists and engineers who have made outstanding contributions to DuPont and their scientific fields throughout their careers.
The 2005 awardees are Dr. Vlodek Gabara, DuPont Fellow in Advanced Fiber Systems; Harry J. Kamack, retired principal design consultant for DuPont Engineering; and Dr. Melvin I. Kohan, retired senior research associate for Engineering Polymers.
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"We are proud to honor these remarkable individuals who so ably built on fundamental science to create sustainable products for the marketplace," commented DuPont Chief Science and Technology Officer Tom Connelly.
Vlodek Gabara, a researcher at DuPont for 36 years, works at the Spruance Plant in Richmond, Va. Gabara's exceptional work on DuPontTM Kevlar® high-performance fiber polymerization was essential in the design of the first commercial Kevlar® production plant. He is currently leading strategic projects to create opportunities for the future of advanced fibers and to establish DuPont's high-performance fiber position in China.
Harry Kamack joined DuPont in 1942 but soon after was assigned to the Manhattan Project to help with design of equipment at the University of Chicago; Oak Ridge, Tenn.; and Hanford Works in Washington. After World War II, he led the project to design the heavy-water moderated reactor at Savannah River Works in South Carolina. During the latter part of his career, Kamack developed the engineering for continuous polymerization of polyester fiber, a process still used all over the world. He retired from DuPont in 1978. He lives in Wilmington, Del.
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Mel Kohan spent his entire 37-year career working on polymers and continues to consult, more than 20 years after his retirement. From 1950 until 1982, Kohan worked at the DuPont Experimental Station in Wilmington, Del. Most of his research focused on use of nylon as an engineering thermoplastic. His fundamental studies on thermal stability were essential for commercialization of DuPontTM Delrin® polyacetal homopolymer. He served as editor of two editions of the Nylon Plastics Handbook, a widely used resource for researchers worldwide. He resides in West Grove, Pa.
The Lavoisier Medal is named in honor of Antoine Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry, who mentored the founder of the company, E.I. du Pont, more than 200 years ago. Recipients will be honored at the Science Excellence Ceremony on June 16, 2005, at the DuPont Theatre in Wilmington, Del.
DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.
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