Leo Baekeland (November 14, 1863 - February 23, 1944), a Belgian chemist. In 1909 patented the first heat resistant plastic, which he proudly named Bakelite. There had been earlier plastics, but Baekeland's breakthrough was to produce a material that, once it hardened, would hold its shape even when subjected to high heat. He also invented Velox photographic paper in 1893.