The National Air and Space Museum will host “Dreams Soar: Inspiring the Next Generation of STEM and Aviation Professionals” Sept. 26, featuring Shaesta Waiz, the youngest woman to circumnavigate the globe solo in a single-engine aircraft. This GE Aviation Lecture will celebrate inspiration in aeronautics and is tailored for a young audience. It will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at the museum in Washington, D.C., and online.

Afghan-American pilot Waiz knew she wanted to complete the milestone of flying around the globe solo for a reason bigger than herself. In her “Dreams Soar” lecture, Waiz will tell the story of how she accomplished her around-the-world flight in a Beechcraft Bonanza A36 single-engine aircraft, a journey that spanned 145 days, 22 countries and over 24,000 nautical miles. She will also share her passion for global outreach and how her non-profit organization, Dreams Soar, Inc., continues to work with youth in underprivileged socioeconomic environments and in regions unsupportive of women.

Beginning at 6 p.m., attendees to the lecture can take part in free flight-simulator challenges and talk with local pilots. The lecture will begin at 7:30 p.m. To request free tickets, visit https://airandspace.si.edu/events/dreams-soar.

The GE Aviation Lecture Series at the National Air and Space Museum is made possible by GE Aviation.

The National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Va., near Washington Dulles International Airport. The museum building on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. Both facilities are open daily from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free, but there is a $15 fee for parking before 4 p.m. at the Udvar-Hazy Center.

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