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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Janet Baltas

Emily Wankier

“A Woman who Deserves a Space among the Stars”

This communication is honoring a woman with a love, a real love, for all things related to space: Space flight; Human Space Flight; Solar System exploration; and most of all educating the public about the realities and challenges of discovering what most of us think is the “last frontier”. Now, it takes more than a love for space to be a valued Docent (Guide or Educator). Emily worked with enthusiasm to become one of our best docents covering Air & Space Pioneers and artifacts. She is a role model, especially for young women and school age children.
Emily practices inspiration and this is the main reason she has become a role model for the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum visitors. A docent cannot dream of a better result from sharing their knowledge and experiences than being an inspiration to individual(s). Real inspiration goes a long way in creating new generations filled with hope and life with meaningful scientific and humanitarian pursuits. This lady has educated the public for over ten years at the Udvar-Hazy Center. She commemorates milestones in aviation and space and most importantly inspires people of all ages, especially those who are making career choices. She makes a difference in our visitor’s lives just as she makes a difference in the lives of families with their children’s neonatal challenges immediately after birth.
Most docents have an aviation background or an occupation that touches on aeronautical or aerospace design. There are a few docents that are scientific oriented like Emily and can relate advances in medical research and space medicine to the museum visitor and show how much progress we are making toward living and working in space. Emily has the additional ability to link scientific advancement to making visitors excited about going into space---she discusses hope!!
Emily came to love space in the 7th grade when an astronaut, Kenneth D. Cameron, came to her school to talk about his missions and to use her words, “since that visit, I’ve been a space geek”. She pursued a career in nursing and specialized in neonatal nursing. She later moved to Washington D.C. and was looking for a place where she could make a difference in people’s lives, medically, and at the same time share her passion about space. NASM was a perfect fit. Never one to rest on knowledge gained, Emily pursued additional training and exposure to NASA activities to improve her tours.

In addition to training from the Museum Curators, this special young woman volunteered to help restore the R-2800 engines for Flak Bait in the restoration hanger. Emily was quite versatile. For nearly a year she would come dressed in business attire and heels for her tours with the public and then change to shop clothes and appear like “Rosie the Riveter” while digging into and helping preserve/restore the R-2800.
Emily Wankier regrettably had to leave NASM as she pursued her career in Nursing. She has moved west from D.C., but she will always be the best “Space Case”, inspiring communicator we have seen in years. The Visitors will always have examples of her passion for space and aviation because many docents have chosen to use part of her enthusiasm and approach to educating the visitors about Air & Space. She cannot be replaced but she can be emulated.
Emily will always be a friend of NASM and will take her place on the Wall of Honor. The Docents salute you Emily…may you continue to inspire among the Stars.

This was written on behalf of Miss Emily Wankier by the Docents at Udvar Hazy Center. We also placed her on the Wall of Honor…November 2018.