Shaesta Waiz

Afghan-American aviator who became the youngest woman to solo circumnavigate the globe in a single-engine aircraft

Born in a refugee camp during Soviet-Afghan war, Shaesta Waiz rose to redefine aviation gender norms. In 2017, her 145-day global flight across 22 countries achieved:

• First Afghan-American female combat pilot
• Youngest woman to complete solo around-world flight
• 100+ STEM outreach events for girls

Through her Dreams Soar Foundation, Waiz combats aviation's gender gap (only 5% pilots are women). Her #IfSheCanFlySoCanI campaign has mentored 3,000+ girls in 14 countries. Unlike traditional aviation pioneers, Waiz combines technological mastery with cultural bridge-building, using flight paths to connect conflict zones through education initiatives.