Ann Makosinski, a 15-year old student from Victoria, is one of four winners at this year’s Google Science Fair. She is the winner of the 15–16 age category at the third annual Google event. Her project, The Hollow Flashlight, involved the design and construction of a highly original device that converts body heat into light resulting in a steady flashlight beam without the use of batteries or other energy sources.
The Google Science Fair is an online competition open to students aged 13 – 18 around the globe. This year’s finalists were selected from thousands of online entries submitted by students from over 120 countries. The finalists presented their projects to a panel of acclaimed scientists, innovators, explorers, and entrepreneurs from around the world in Mountain View, California.
In addition to experimenting with electronics, Makosinski enjoys acting, field hockey, and editing and directing movies and plays. She began entering science fairs in grade six and at the 2013 Canada-Wide Science Fair in Lethbridge, Alberta, as a Team BC member, she received the Energy Challenge Award (Intermediate) and a gold medal.
Ms. Makosinski’s award included a $25,000 scholarship to further her education and a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” at the Lego Group headquarters in Denmark. Since then, Ann and her project have gained international attention; she was named one of Time magazine’s 30 under 30 for 2013, has given two TED talks and was recently featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in a segment called ‘Fallonventions’. She is also the youngest BC Business 30 under 30 winner for 2014 who will be honoured at a special reception on April 30th.
Most recently, she was selected along with 11 of Canada’s brightest high school scientists to represent the country at the world’s largest and most prestigious science fair, the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) on May 11-16 in Los Angeles California.
Proceeds from the 15th Annual PMC Science Fair Fun Run go towards The Dr. Michael Smith Science Fair Endowment, which assists in the advancement of Science Fair programs throughout B.C. and the encouragement of youth to actively participate in science and technology.
Register for the run and join us on Sunday, May 25 in supporting BC’s Science Super Stars like Ann Makosinski.
Science Fair Foundation BC Blog 