Ann Makosinski

On her journey through the education system, Ann received international acclaim for her work in the sciences thanks in large part to two of her inventions: the Hollow Flashlight and the e-Drink. It came as a surprise to many when she decided to pursue a degree in English Literature rather than Engineering. But it shouldn’t have. Some of the most innovative people in history had a crossover in both fields. In this presentation, Ann shows educators how integrating the Arts & Sciences can help students develop innovative mindsets. Teachers will be exposed to multi-sensory learning techniques proven to help students better absorb information. Studies show how students exposed to science-arts integration see improvements in reasoning, language skills, self-confidence.

Key Takeaways:
• How students develop innovative mindsets with exposure to science & art.
• Educational structures from some of the world’s top science & arts integration programs.
• How to break the stereotypes around art as a hobby & science as a career.

Most 18 year old college sophomores are thinking about final exams, summer vacation, and dorm room shenanigans. But before 18-year-old Ann Makosinski ever stepped into a college classroom, she had won the Google Science Fair, garnered awards at the Intel Science and Engineering Fair, was featured in TIME Magazine, and appeared on the Tonight Show — twice. Instead of couching herself in the typical definitions of “entrepreneur” or “inventor,” Ann has coined a term for herself: “differentist.”

In today’s celebrated and well-documented innovation economy championed by Silicon Valley wunderkinds like Mark Zuckerberg, we have a tendency to think that the best new ideas are exclusively coming out of Bay Area, or the offices of Apple, Uber, or other tech giants. But sometimes, world-changing ideas come out of a home basement in the suburbs. Join Ann as she explains what it’s like to be a differentist in a world that’s constantly redesigning and reimagining itself, and charting new courses.

Following her big win at Google Science Fair, Ann was named to Time magazine’s 30 under 30 and went on to receive four major awards at the 2014 Intel Science and Engineering Fair and speak at four TEDx events. She brought her hollow flashlight to the Tonight Show in 2014, and was invited back this fall to unveil her new eDrink invention, a travel mug that harvests excess heat from hot drinks and converts it into electricity to give your mobile phone’s battery a boost. Ann’s philosophy is ‘The only way to find out is to build it.’ In this presentation, she shares the benefits of pursuing curiosity. About how dreaming about something, and asking, ‘Is this possible?’ can change the world.