Stony Brook University alumna Lillian Best returned to her former secondary school, St. Joseph’s Convent St. George (SJCSG) in Grenada, to lead an informational session for Grade 9 students about educational and career opportunities in STEM and STEAM fields. Best, who graduated in biomedical engineering from Stony Brook, designed the presentation to help students understand the range of possibilities within science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
Best explained that her motivation stemmed from her own upbringing: “Asking questions, exploring how things worked, and having those conversations encouraged me to think more deeply about the world around me,” she said. She noted that she chose Form 3 students because this is when they select subject specializations that influence future academic and professional paths. Her recent participation at the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers’ Pre-College Day also inspired her to replicate a similar outreach effort in Grenada.
During her presentation, Best linked various STEM careers to interests familiar to the students—such as computers, gaming, building activities, and leadership roles—and encouraged open discussion. She also demonstrated a myoelectric claw device as an example of engineering applications in biomedicine. According to Best: “This was the moment the room lit up. The students were fascinated by watching the claw respond to their muscle signals and eager to understand how the interface captured and translated those signals.”
Feedback from SJCSG staff was positive. Olivia Antoine, a science teacher at the school, said: “The session on women in STEM was quite a success… I think it renewed interest in science and engineering among many of the girls and gave them a greater perspective on what the field has to offer.” Antoine added that some students decided to pursue science careers following Best’s talk.
Samuel Williams, a volunteer at SJCSG, commented: “Her presentation included discussing the various career paths available for students in STEAM and even detailed her journey as she transitioned from secondary school to Stony Brook… The interactive session she had with them was very fun.”
Mei Lin (Ete) Chan of Stony Brook’s Department of Biomedical Engineering praised Best’s efforts: “It provided them with an early exposure to information about a variety of possible STEM career pathways at a critical time of their career development.” Chan added that Best had been active both as a researcher on campus and as a community outreach volunteer.
Reflecting on her experience giving back at SJCSG, Best said: “Form 3 was the age when I first imagined myself becoming a biomedical engineer… This experience was incredibly meaningful… I could sense a genuine spark of curiosity in STEM that hadn’t been as visible before.”
