Where Curiosity Leads: Andini Makosinski '15 Returns to Campus

As Middle School students prepare for the annual Science Fair competition this spring, curiosity is a theme taking shape across classrooms and labs. On Jan. 27, 2026, that idea came into sharp focus when alumna Andini Makosinski ’15 returned to campus to speak with students about how curiosity has shaped her life and work.

Makosinski’s curiosity has carried her far beyond the classroom. Her body-heat-powered flashlight, developed while she was in Grade 10, won the Google Science Fair and led to international media attention, including two appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She later developed a second patented invention, the eDrink, a mug that converts excess heat into usable energy. More recently, her work has expanded into media and storytelling, including hosting a financial literacy series and appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show, reflecting the wide range of paths curiosity continues to open.

Makosinski described curiosity not as a special talent, but as a mindset grounded in asking questions, paying attention, and being willing to explore uncertainty. “I have no special talent,” she told students. “I am only passionately curious.” For her, learning began with noticing how things worked and wondering how they might work better, a habit that started early and was nurtured through hands-on experimentation.

She spoke openly about her middle school years, describing them as awkward and formative, and reassured students that discomfort and doubt are often part of meaningful growth. That honesty resonated as she reflected on her first science fair projects at SMUS, which began in Grade 6 and continued year after year. Those early experiences, she explained, taught her to experiment without fear of failure and to see mistakes as part of the learning process rather than something to avoid.

“When something doesn’t work, that’s not the end,” Makosinski said. “That’s information.” She connected that mindset directly to Science Fair, explaining how experimentation builds confidence through observation, reflection, and trying again.

“Some of the best ideas come when we’re bored,” she told students. “When we’re constantly on our phones or being entertained, we’re not really observing the world around us. When you allow silence and space, ideas start to surface.” In that context, she emphasized that meaningful ideas rarely appear fully formed, but develop through attention, experimentation, and time.

After the talk, Makosinski reflected on why returning to SMUS continues to matter to her. She remembers middle school as an especially awkward but important time in her life, and she sees real value in offering reassurance to students who are still discovering who they are. While she is best known for her work as an inventor, she now works in independent video production, drawing on the same problem-solving mindset she developed through science. She is also exploring new creative directions, including hosting, and spoke about enjoying this stage of life where curiosity continues to guide what she tries next.

As students continue developing their Science Fair projects, Makosinski’s journey highlights an approach to learning that is woven through the school at every stage. Curiosity shows up in the questions students ask, the risks they take in testing ideas, and the persistence required to keep going when outcomes are uncertain. It is this way of thinking, grounded in exploration and reflection, that allows learning to extend beyond a single project and into how students engage with the world around them.