Abstract
My thesis consists of two complementary projects: a technical design to improve the production of hyaluronic acid (HA) and a Science, Technology and Society (STS) research paper, which analyzes how this technology is socially interpreted within the cosmetic industry. The technical project focuses on the scalability, efficiency and sustainability of this process and product. In contrast, the STS research investigates how this ingredient is transformed from a sustainable and cost efficient technology to a symbol of ethical consumption and premium value, rather than contributing to broader societal benefits. This connection highlights the importance of analysis through STS frameworks, as technologies can be influenced by market systems, cultural values and social interpretation. As a consumer, I am directly impacted by how sustainability claims influence product perception and pricing, which makes this research personally meaningful.
The technical portion of my thesis produced cosmetic grade microbially fermented HA in a powder form. This project concentrates on efficiency, reducing environmental impact and maintaining quality throughout upstream and downstream bioprocessing. Key design features include optimizing fermentation conditions, implementing purification techniques and evaluating process economics to ensure scalability and cost effectiveness. The results show that microbial HA can be produced more sustainably and at lower costs compared to traditional methods, emphasizing its potential to improve environmental impact and industrial efficiency in cosmetic manufacturing.
In my STS research, I analyzed how microbially produced HA is transformed from a sustainable and cost efficient innovation to a symbol of ethical consumption and premium value. Using the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) framework, my examination indicated that cosmetic companies, marketers, certification systems and consumers collectively shape the meaning attached to microbial HA. Rather than reflecting its technical benefits, cosmetic companies and marketers communicate sustainable and ethical claims through labels such as “vegan,” “cruelty-free,” and “clean,” which lack standard definitions. Therefore, this innovation becomes associated with moral identity and status, contributing to premium pricing, limiting accessibility to high income consumers. This research highlights how technological meaning becomes socially constructed and how technologies can be redefined through market and cultural processes. My research revealed that sustainability in cosmetics is not just a technical achievement, but a socially constructed concept shaped by perception, branding and marketing.
Considering both projects together reveals that engineering solutions and innovations alone are not sufficient to address environmental and social issues. By applying the STS perspectives, engineers can better understand how technologies are interpreted, marketed and distributed allowing for more ethical decisions. This means that engineers must also recognize how technologies are marketed, regulated and understood by consumers in addition to the technical design of a product to ensure transparency, sustainability and accessibility. This perspective shows that engineering decisions have social consequences beyond technical performance. Overall, understanding these technical and social perspectives allows engineers to guarantee their product contributes to meaningful environmental and social outcomes.
