Student Noor Agourram: 'I want to contribute to a waste-free planet.'

Noor Agourram is a second-year student at the School of Chemical Engineering. She wants to contribute towards a pollution free planet. She realized that especially in the cosmetics field the amount of plastics that go to waste is significant. During a CHEMARTS course, she made a prototype for a bio-degradable face mask. CHEMARTS is the long-term collaboration project of two Aalto University schools: the School of Chemical Engineering (CHEM) and the School of Arts, Design and Architecture (ARTS). CHEMARTS arranges multidisciplinary study courses and a Summer School for degree students, thesis projects, and workshops for elementary and high school students. It also participates in externally funded research projects.

Bio-degredable face masks in different colors — Photos: Esa Kapila

How did this idea come about?

In the cosmetic field, there is a huge problem concerning micro plastics and plastic packaging. Micro plastics’ molecular size is so small that it can get through the skin and cause damage or skin problems. Often the products are sealed with a plethora of plastic. Very few alternatives are found in the market. Through trial and error, I came about the idea of biodegradable beauty masks with both the mask and the packaging being degradable. As a fun addition, I challenged myself by creating the visuals for the packages.

I feel that there should be more companies and products that actively try to create skin-care products with both the user’s health and the nature in mind.

Why did you choose Aalto as your university?

I chose Aalto University, as I had heard great things about the department of Chemical Engineering and the motivating and forward-looking environment from a friend of mine. I have always been interested in the scientific world and how biological organisms and the environment works. On top of this, the interest in combining science and research with business came about during my studies at Aalto.

What are your goals with the project, and do you already have further plans for the future of the project?

I would love to continue working with the project towards making it commercialized. I feel that these types of products should exist on the market to give a substitute to their non-eco counterparts. The cosmetic field, though, is not the easiest market to enter as it requires third party-testing and certificates before hitting the market. This consequently requires time and funding. Therefore I’m now gathering more knowledge on the topic and sitting upon the idea of how it could be executed.

What’s the best thing about studying at Aalto?

I like studying at Aalto because I have such a broad spectrum of subjects to choose from when designing my studies. Alongside of being a part of my own guild, I am a member of the Aalto Entrepreneurship Society in which I've been able to be innovative and challenge myself.

I like the community of people you encounter here. We all have different perspectives on the same matters, depending on our backgrounds and fields of study. This is something that I value and find special about Aalto.

What kind of problems do you want to solve now and in the future?

One huge problem that we face in the world is the way we consume things and produce waste. This is a problem I want to be a part of solving and through the field I study, I feel like I’m in a fortunate position to do just that. I’m glad to see that in Aalto the movement for replacing harmful materials and reducing pollution is a trending topic. A lot of the research and product development in the department of Chemical Engineering is focusing on creating more sustainable materials and the development of their production lines. This is what I find very interesting and forward-looking in the material world.