Charlotte Coffman
Science Principles Through Textiles and Apparel

Have you ever wished you could conduct a wear test on an item you have designed to see if it performs as intended? Is attracting young people to the field of textiles and apparel of concern to you? Would you like to teach science principles to youth using textiles and apparel projects? Charlotte Coffman, a Senior Extension Associate in the Department of Textiles and Apparel, is a good contact for you.

Ms. Coffman conducts research on protective apparel for pesticide workers as part of a United States Department of Agriculture funded study, “Mediating Exposure to Environmental Hazards through Textile Systems”. She uses structured wear tests to evaluate the ways in which pesticide applicators use and wear protective clothing including self- reports on use by the wearers, observations of use, and lab testing of garments to assess levels of protection. Wear testing can help guide selection, use, and maintenance of clothing for pesticide workers and can indicate whether standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency are being met. The research methodology and survey instruments Ms. Coffman has developed could be adapted to testing other functional garments and personal equipment as well.

Educational programs for youth and teens involving innovative uses of fibers and fabric are a particular interest of Ms. Coffman. Ms. Coffman is one of the authors of a hands-on exploratory science program, In-Touch Science, for elementary school children that explores science through projects with everyday things such as fibers, fabrics, and foods. For example, children make wool felt and see the scales on the wool fiber that permit felting. The objective is to interest kids in science through objects and activities commonly experienced.

Ms. Coffman has developed several award-winning curriculums for teens using textiles and apparel. The Fabric/Flight Connection explains the role of textiles in aviation and explores the principles of aerodynamics, textile properties, and functional clothing design with hands-on activities. This program is often offered at Cornell as part of a statewide summer 4-H careers exploration that attracts teens of both sexes from widely varied backgrounds. Simple Gifts encourages youth to make appropriate recreational items for Alzheimer's patients, often from textile materials. Ms. Coffman has also conducted teen programs using patternmaking software for clothing design, and encouraged use of patternmaking software with 4-H programs in New York State. Introducing the 3-D the Body Scanner to youth is Ms. Coffman's newest approach to attracting youth to science and technology.

Some questions you might ask Charlotte Coffman:

• How do I design and implement a wear test to evaluate a product?
• How can I interest youth in my area in science and technology using textile and apparel projects?