Soft Matter for Sensitive Skin: Research Opportunity for STEM Undergraduate Students
Are you a STEM undergraduate student passionate about sustainability, materials science, or innovative product design? The research group of Prof. Ubaldo Córdova Figueroa, in collaboration with Sensata Care, is opening a unique opportunity for students who want to make a real impact in Puerto Rico through research rooted in soft matter science, natural formulations, and sustainable product innovation.
For one year, selected volunteers will work closely with our team—contributing 10 hours per week—as we explore how nature-inspired ingredients and soft-matter materials can be transformed into accessible, safe, and effective consumer solutions.
Our current projects explore nature-inspired, non-chemical skin-care solutions that could be produced sustainably using ingredients sourced from Puerto Rico. These include:
🌿 Infused Patch for Mosquito and Insect Bites
Consists of investigating plant-based formulations from local plants for an infused patch to stop itching while promoting the healing of mosquito and other insect bites.
🔥 Treatment Patch for Fire Ant Bites
This project aims to explore natural local ingredients with extraction or healing properties and evaluating sustainable materials for patch design.
About Sensata Care
Sensata Care is a Puerto Rico–based company dedicated to creating everyday products made with clean, natural ingredients that are gentle on sensitive skin. At its core is a commitment to transparency, safety, and sustainability—values rooted in the belief that Puerto Rico deserves access to products that are both effective and trustworthy.
Sensata Care’s vision is to empower the sensitive skin community to enjoy life without skin irritation and have access to solutions free of dyes, additives, and irritants, for the everyday products they use. Their mission goes beyond skin-friendly products: they aim to help build a Puerto Rico where we put “Primero, La Tierra”—a future where products are designed, sourced, and manufactured locally.
What Sensata Care Values
Transparency: Every ingredient is shown on our ingredient list and available on our website. We explain what is used and why so you can make informed decisions.
Sustainability: Our business model is focused on doing as much as we can to support our earth and communities. From using recyclable packaging to creating a refill option, we strive to do better for everyone, every day.
Affordability: We do our best to keep costs down to ensure our products are affordable for everyone in Puerto Rico so we all have access to clean products.
Building Community Through Collaboration
Sensata Care is actively fostering a supportive community for people with sensitive skin by sharing educational resources, real stories, and ingredient information, while promoting brands that uphold transparency and safety. Their goal is to elevate product standards across Puerto Rico so that sensitive-skin consumers have access to innovative, trustworthy solutions.
A key part of this mission is collaboration. Sensata Care works closely with small local brands to encourage the use of Puerto Rican ingredients, explore creative solutions to common challenges faced by small businesses, and ultimately reduce the island’s reliance on imported products. Through these partnerships, they help drive sustainable product development and strengthen Puerto Rico’s capacity for innovation.
Why Join the Team?
Participants will help drive early-stage research by:
Conducting literature reviews
Identifying gaps in existing knowledge
Organizing technical resources
Developing insights that guide formulation and material decisions
Supporting the foundation for future prototyping and product development
You’ll gain hands-on experience in sustainability research, product formulation, soft matter principles, and design thinking—all while contributing to projects that could benefit communities across Puerto Rico.
Interested in Participating?
We invite all motivated STEM undergraduates to apply.
Please complete the interest form by December 15, 2025:
Help us build the next generation of sustainable, science-driven products for Puerto Rico.