Students on our Data Science courses have the opportunity to gain professional experience through live industry projects and work placements. Tiana, a student on our Big Data Technologies MSc, recently collaborated with Aue Natural, an emerging UK beauty brand, to explore the environmental impact of everyday consumer products. Her project focused on developing an interactive data dashboard to visualise and compare the environmental footprint of solid and liquid shampoo. In this blog, Tiana shares insights into the project and the experience she gained throughout.

Tiana Bettinson – Big Data Technologies MSc

Have you ever thought about how the products you use every day impact the environment? Would understanding their impact change your personal habits?

My project explored these questions as part of my Data Science and Analytics MSc Project. I conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) that examined the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and water impact of both shampoo types from cradle to grave.

I chose this project to combine the technical skills I developed during my programme with my background as a software engineer. It gave me the opportunity to return to React development while applying newly acquired skills in Python and SQL within a real-world, web-based dashboard. I was also motivated by the opportunity to communicate environmental data in a way that encourages more sustainable personal care choices, as small everyday actions toward sustainability are something I care deeply about. Working on a product as universal as shampoo made the project both highly relevant and personally engaging, and it also encouraged me to reflect on how daily habits can have unexpected environmental consequences.

To complete the project, I collected both primary and secondary data, including product and packaging information from Aue Natural and industry averages from peer-reviewed sources. I defined system boundaries across the manufacturing, transportation, and end-of-life stages and conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) following PECFR standards. The results showed that solid shampoo has a lower environmental impact than liquid shampoo, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and water usage, largely due to reduced packaging and a more concentrated, water-free formulation. These findings informed the design of an interactive dashboard that I built using Python, SQL, and data visualisation techniques. I initially stored the data in Excel for accessibility and calculated environmental impacts using an eco-cost model linked to IDEMAT and EcoInvent databases, before transferring it into a SQL database. I then used FastAPI to create backend APIs, which connected to a React and TypeScript frontend to deliver an interactive user experience.

The final dashboard allows users to compare the environmental impact of solid and liquid shampoo through visual graphs and equivalency-based insights. To personalise the experience, users input how often they wash their hair per week and how many years they plan to use solid shampoo. Based on this, the dashboard calculates estimated savings in plastic waste, water usage, transport emissions, and end-of-life impact. These results are also translated into relatable equivalents, such as plastic straws or cups of tea, to make the data more intuitive. For example, someone washing their hair three times per week could save an estimated 5.9 plastic bottles per year by switching to solid shampoo—equivalent to 432 plastic straws. The design also follows data visualisation best practices, including consistent, high-contrast colour schemes to ensure clarity and accessibility for colour-blind users (Kirk, 2019; Knaflic, 2015).

Working on this project was both challenging and highly rewarding. It required strong organisation and time management skills, as I had to structure my working hours carefully and maintain regular communication with both my academic supervisor and the industry partner at Aue Natural. As the sole developer and analyst on the project, I also had to develop independence in problem-solving and decision-making as issues arose. A key skill I strengthened throughout the project was the ability to communicate complex technical information in an accessible way, whether for general users of the dashboard or for future developers who may integrate it into Aue Natural’s website.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the project was collaborating with Michelle Sartario, the industry partner, and Dr Sheema Noorain, my supervisor. Their feedback, guidance, and encouragement were invaluable throughout the process. They also introduced me to networking opportunities that allowed me to share my work beyond the university environment, which has been incredibly beneficial for my professional development.

Michelle Sartario, Founder and CEO of Aue Natural said “Tiana’s work goes far beyond surface-level sustainability claims or the gamification often seen in conventional cosmetics. Her project applied robust data science and software engineering methodologies to a real-world challenge, using comparative life cycle assessment and clearly defined functional units to produce transparent, defensible results. By transforming complex environmental data into an interactive, consumer-facing system, this work demonstrates how engineering-led thinking can drive accountability, behavioural change and meaningful impact beyond academia. Her work is a strong example of the rigour and relevance of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Westminster.”

Dr Sheema Noorain, Course Leader said “Tiana’s project is an excellent example of what our students can achieve when they apply data science and analytics skills to real world challenges that matter. She brought together life cycle assessment methodology, data processing, and interactive visualisation to produce something genuinely useful, a tool that makes complex environmental data accessible and actionable for everyday consumers. Supervising this project was a pleasure; Tiana demonstrated independence, technical rigour, and a real commitment to communicating her findings clearly. Projects like this, developed in collaboration with industry partners like Aue Natural, reflect exactly the kind of applied, impactful work we aim to foster through our Masters programmes in the School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Westminster.”

Overall, I am very proud of what I achieved through this project. It has significantly strengthened both my technical and professional skill set, making me a more confident and competitive candidate for data analyst and software engineering roles. Most importantly, it has given me hands-on experience working on a real-world, industry-level problem, which has been essential for my growth as an early-career data professional.

For students considering studying Data Science courses at Westminster, my advice is simple: go for it. These projects offer invaluable opportunities to develop in-demand skills, apply your learning to real-world challenges, and build meaningful industry connections. Stay consistent, embrace challenges, and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone there is so much to gain from the experience.

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References

Kirk, A. (2019). Data representation. In A. Owen (Ed.), Data visualisation: A handbook for data driven design. SAGE Publications Ltd.

Knaflic, C. N. (2015). Focus your audience’s attention. In Storytelling with data: A data visualization guide for business professionals. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.