Top 10 of 2017: Judit Puskas breaks barriers

There's always something new and exciting going on in the rubber industry, and 2017 was no exception.

The year saw many more acquisitions, disputes and breakthroughs, not to mention industry-wide trends affecting manufacturers worldwide.

It's easy to lose track of what transpired, so RPN is here to help. We've compiled what the editorial staff saw as the 10 biggest stories in the industry. In addition, we've put together a recap to some of the other major events that had a broad impact in a variety of industry sectors.

As we prepare for another exciting year, join us as we look back at the top 10 stories of 2017.

No. 10: Puskas breaks barriers

The ACS Rubber Division presented Judit Puskas its highest honor—the Charles Goodyear Medal—in May, becoming the first woman to win the award.

Born in Hungary, Puskas is a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Akron. The Rubber Division cited her work on a variety of polymer and elastomer research, including working to find a replacement for natural rubber and more recently her research looking at the integration of breast reconstruction and cancer research, during a ceremony honoring her achievements at its spring meeting.

RPN did a full profile on Puskas in its Aug. 20 issue.