CHEE Alumna Highlights STEM Careers at Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day

Sonia Laughland uses lava lamps and makeup to demonstrate STEM principles at an "Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day" booth in Anchorage, Alaska.

UA chemical and environmental engineering alumna and environmental engineer Sonia Laughland recently introduced Anchorage School District girls to the world of math and science careers.

The goal is to get girls considering STEM -- science, technology, engineering and math -- careers earlier in their education.

As part of a partnership between Anchorage School District, the Girl Scouts of Alaska and ExxonMobil, Laughland participated in Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, teaching students how cosmetics and chemical engineering go hand-in-hand during her science lesson on lip gloss.

"Most people when they think about engineering don't think about makeup. They think about oil and gas or Procter & Gamble manufacturing. But makeup gets manufactured as well," Laughland explained.