A cosmetics module for women in engineering programs

Rowan University hosts a week-long workshop titled AWE: Attracting Women into Engineering during the summer. This workshop is targeted for female students from the 7 ^th and 8 ^th grades to expose them to the challenges and excitement of engineering. Novel hands-on experiments in the various fields of engineering with state of the art technology are used to boost the participants' interest in engineering. These experiments require collaborative learning through teamwork. The program consists of a two week on-campus session at Rowan University wherein students interact with departmental faculty, undergraduate engineering students and representatives from local industry. Programs specifically focus on hands-on engineering laboratory experiments, field trips, workshops on engineering ethics, and computer training sessions. A cosmetics module was recently added to the workshop. Girls at this age are interested in various cosmetics such as lipsticks, eye shadow and lip gloss. However, few recognize that engineers are vital to the cosmetics industry. The cosmetics module introduces the participants to the ingredients in lipstick and their physical properties, as well as the production process of lip gloss and lipstick. Participants work in teams to formulate lip products of different consistencies and colors. Each team creates its own line of cosmetics, and presents the finished products to faculty and other participants at the end of the module. It is expected that the workshop will encourage young women to consider engineering as a course of study and/or a career, thereby attracting new and more diverse engineering talent to the workforce.