Teen girls pursue a passion for science at IBM camp

August 5, 2006

By hammersmith

[Source: Diana Bellettieri, The Journal News] — A group of budding young scientists recently made a discovery that could improve life for millions of women: The perfect formula for lip gloss calls for three parts strawberry, three parts chocolate and as many parts glitter as possible. “Glitter’s cool,” 16-year-old Sarah Drucker said as she carefully squeezed the sparkles into a small vial. “I think everybody likes glitter.”

“Actually, I have one friend who thinks glitter is annoying,” replied Emily Loughlin, 13, who will be an eighth-grader at Anne M. Dorner Middle School in Ossining. “Huh,” said Drucker, who will be a junior at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua. “I don’t understand how anyone could think that.”

The experiment was part of the third annual EX.C.I.T.E. (EXploring Interests in Technology and Engineering) Camp at IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights. The goal of the weeklong camp is to encourage young girls to pursue their passions for science and math, especially at an age when girls tend to steer away from those subjects. Through hands-on workshops