A highly regarded University of Rochester Chemistry professor died Sunday of her injuries as the result of an accident. According to TWC News, 92-year-old Esther Conwell was walking down Pelham Road in the Rochester, NY suburb of Brighton at around 3pm when she was struck by a car.

The driver of the car, Conwell’s neighbor 52-year-old Daniel N. Menachof, was backing out of his driveway when he hit her. According to the Democrat and Chronicle, neither drugs nor alcohol were involved, and the accident is still under investigation. One pedestrian injury occurs about every seven minutes in the U.S.

Conwell was renowned in the field of science for her work on semiconductor research and has been described as a pioneer and a trailblazer for women in science. She was awarded the National Medal of Science in 2010 by President Barack Obama, which is reserved for individuals who are “deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to knowledge in the physical, biological, mathematical, or engineering sciences,” according to the National Science Foundation.

Conwell’s 70-year-long career began at the University of Rochester in 1942, where she earned a master’s degree in physics before going on to pursue a doctorate at the University of Chicago. She then worked at Xerox before eventually becoming a full-time professor at U of R. Though she no longer taught chemistry at the university at the time of her death, she was still there every day, mentoring students and doing research.

“Esther Conwell’s death is a tragic loss for the world of science, as well as for the university community,” University President Joel Seligman said in a news release. “Professor Conwell’s many scientific contributions and her pioneering role as a leading woman in science made her a source of pride for our entire University of Rochester community. She was a deeply inspiring scientist for young women pursuing careers in science.”