CLEVELAND, Ohio – The International Women’s Air & Space Museum (IWASM) will host its annual Wings of Women (WOW) STEM Conference Nov. 10, 2018.
The Wings of Women (WOW) STEM Conference is geared towards high school female students interested in pursuing STEM career fields, according to museum officials.
“We bring in professional female mentors from various STEM fields, who spend the day speaking with the students about how they got to where they are today,” officials said. “There are also hands-on activities that go along with each of these fields to help spark further interest. This is a great opportunity for young ladies to be inspired and empowered to pursue whatever their hearts’ desire.”
The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Burke Lakefront Airport, where the museum is located.
Upon arrival, a light breakfast will be available and lunch will be provided later in the day. Upon departure, each student will receive a bag of information from various colleges and universities about their select STEM fields.
This year’s keynote speaker will be Shaesta Waiz, who flew solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft. Waiz came to this country as an Afghan refugee and is the first certified civilian female pilot from Afghanistan. Waiz is the founder of the non-profit organization Dreams Soar, whose mission statement is “to inspire the next generation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and aviation professionals.” Waiz was selected as the recipient of the 2018 Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Trophy for Current Achievement.
Applications are required for each student. The deadline for applications is Nov. 2, 2018, along with a $5 reservation fee. This fee will be returned upon check-in on the morning of the event. A parent’s signature is required for each student to participate. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted. This is a first come, first serve event. The conference has reached capacity the past few years so it is recommended to submit applications as soon as possible, museum officials note.
More information, as well as a link to the application, can be found at IWASM.org.
The museum offers free admission. Exhibit hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. Office, gift shop and research center hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.