The science of Taylor Swift: Purdue event promotes STEM to Swifties

Music blasted from the speakers inside Circle Centre Mall as 10-year-old Leighton Lanpher and her mom, Ashley Lanpher, made Taylor Swift-themed friendship bracelets. Cards on the table walked them through how to use the beads to make letters in binary code.

The two drove from St. Louis for the final three U.S. dates of Swift’s Eras Tour at Lucas Oil Stadium.

They decided to visit Purdue University’s "STEM-era" event where people were able to learn about science, technology, engineering and math through short activities related to the “Anti-Hero” singer.

"It's a blast,” Lanpher said. “I love this place!"

Activities included making hand lotion, building paper rockets to launch through hoops, and learning about the science in makeup at the e.l.f. Cosmetics glow up station.

"I really like the e.l.f. glow up, and I really liked the pictures, and I liked making that little galaxy," Lanpher said.
 

Another Swiftie, Marissa Gainer, 13, showed off her sparkly galaxy-in-a-bottle key chain.

"I put glitter in it, and then I put some glycerin in it, and then I gave it to the lady, and she put a cap on it," Gainer said.

The friendship bracelets, makeup and galaxy-in-a-bottle activities represent ways Purdue University is trying to connect women and girls with STEM fields.

“It’s well known there's a large deficit and the number of women in STEM careers, and something that Purdue has been trying to overcome for a really long time,” said Kelly Hiller, Purdue University Vice President of Marketing.

Aerospace engineering junior Alayna Miller is part of the roughly 15 percent of women in her field. She said the weekend event complements Swift’s symbol of female empowerment.

"Getting to see a woman role model in industry, like Taylor, I think, is an incredible opportunity that you can do whatever you put your mind to," Miller said.

Chloe Grandusky, a mechanical engineering major, said STEM events for women are usually attended by people who are already interested in the field.

"So it's really cool to see that gateway and bridge we're building from Taylor Swift into STEM that girls are like, 'Oh, actually, wait, this is something I could do and I'm interested in,'" Grandusky said.

Purdue officials said roughly 10,000 people attended the event.

Contact WFYI All Things Considered newscaster and reporter Samantha Horton at shorton@wfyi.org.