Defne Özcan: TIME's Girls of the Year List
She enrolled in flight school at 15, and a year later, on October 27, 2024, she found herself taxiing down the runway in a single-engine Aeroprakt-22 by herself. It was a windy day, and she had considered aborting her first solo flight, 'but then I thought to myself: am I ever going to feel 100% ready? Probably not.' Belting out the lyrics from her favorite Broadway musical to soothe her nerves—"Defying Gravity' from Wicked, naturally—she pulled back on the plane's control column and found herself airborne.
She dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer like her father, but with a focus on biomedical systems in order to 'make a positive impact in people's lives.' Now that she has defied expectations, she hopes that other Turkish women will be inspired to do the same, in the sky, and in STEM.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Magazine
4 hours ago
- Time Magazine
Defne Özcan: TIME's Girls of the Year List
'I could see a future of me becoming a mechanical engineer. So why couldn't other women and young girls feel the same way?' she says. She decided to change minds by literally taking flight. 'I wanted to create a ripple effect of inspiration.' She enrolled in flight school at 15, and a year later, on October 27, 2024, she found herself taxiing down the runway in a single-engine Aeroprakt-22 by herself. It was a windy day, and she had considered aborting her first solo flight, 'but then I thought to myself: am I ever going to feel 100% ready? Probably not.' Belting out the lyrics from her favorite Broadway musical to soothe her nerves—"Defying Gravity' from Wicked, naturally—she pulled back on the plane's control column and found herself airborne. She dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer like her father, but with a focus on biomedical systems in order to 'make a positive impact in people's lives.' Now that she has defied expectations, she hopes that other Turkish women will be inspired to do the same, in the sky, and in STEM.
Axios
5 hours ago
- Axios
Weekender: 28 things to do in Charlotte this weekend including a Pride parade and festival
Friday, Aug. 15 🎭 Watch the Broadway musical "The Book of Mormon" at Ovens Auditorium. | $28.90+ | Runs through Sunday | Details 🍽️ Enjoy a dinner with drag show performances at The Long Room. | $15-$25 | 6:30pm | Details 🎊 Grab your bestie for a Taylor Swift-themed party at Blinders in South End that celebrates every era of her music with a live DJ, cocktail menu, friendship bracelet trading and if you come dressed as your favorite era, you could have a chance to win a prize. | Free | 8pm | Details 🍷 Meet at Substrate for a sneak peek of Emmy Lou's, a wine bar opening this fall from the team behind Customshop and Marina's Tapas. | Free | 5pm | Details 🛍️ Shop for vintage items from Thrift Pony's night market in Camp North End | Free | 6-9pm | Details 🥅 See Charlotte Independence take on Westchester SC at American Legion Memorial Stadium. | $13-$66 | 7pm | Details ⚾️ Catch a Charlotte Knights ball game against Memphis Redbirds after work with friends and a beer at Truist Field. | $27+ | 7:04pm | Details 🏓 Play in a pickleball tournament at Tipsy Pickle. Proceeds benefit students and schools in need. | $0-$25 | 6-9pm | Details 🧪 Explore Discover Place Science after dark for their Science on the Rocks where you can enjoy hands-on labs, drinks and exhibits in a kids-free environment. | $27.14 | 6-10pm | Details 🎧 Turn up the volume on the headphones to jam out to a silent disco party at Slingshot. | $13.42+ | 10pm | Details 🥊 See the PFL World Tournament at the Bojangles Coliseum to see who will win the championship title. | 6pm | Details Saturday, Aug. 16 🏳️🌈 Attend the Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade in Uptown to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community through performances, live music, food, vendors, exhibits and more. | Free | Runs through Sunday | Details 👑 Watch a drag show at The Chamber by Wooden Robot Brewery in NoDa while you sip on a cocktail and enjoy light bites. | $15-$20 | 7pm | Details 🍷 Sample curated Croatian wines in a tasting led by Sommelier Jaffer Kovic at DTR Plaza Midwood paired with small bites. | $55 | 1pm | Details 💘 Find your perfect match at Bank of America Stadium in a pre-game mixer ahead of the Charlotte FC game. | $47.56 | 5-7pm | Details ⚽️ Cheer on the Charlotte FC game against Real Salt Lake at Bank of America Stadium. | $35.10+ | 7:30pm | Details 🚺 Celebrate Women's Equality Day at Canteen at Camp North End with performances, speakers, dancers and more. | Free | 11:30am-2:30pm | Details 🤣 Spend the night laughing at jokes in a stand-up comedy session at Crowntown NoDa. | $16.09 | 9-11pm | Details 😂 Laugh at short-form improv jokes from local comedians at Charlotte Comedy Theater. | $15 | 6pm | Details 🎨 Take your creative tweens to a Lego printing class at La Bodeguita in Camp North End. | $20 | 11am-2pm | Details 🎶 Enjoy a 90s party with jello shots, themed movies, glow sticks and slap bracelets at Pins Mechanical. | Free | 4pm-2am | Details 🎷Listen to live jazz from saxophonist BK Jackson at Middle C Jazz | $41.45+ | Times vary | Details 🥶 Participate in a power cold plunge flow at Whitewater Center to stimulate circulation and reduce inflammation. | $20 | 2:30-4pm | Details Sunday, Aug. 17 🍽️ Enjoy Cuban American food from Michelin Bib Gourmand Chug's Diner as they take over Customshop. | Prices vary | 11am | Details 📚 Bring a chair and a friend to That's Novel Books' silent book club in Camp North End. | Free | 9:30-11am | Details 🦀 Feast on all-you-can-eat blue crabs and cold beers at Lenny Boy Brewing Company while you enjoy music. | $21-$63 | 2pm | Details 🏃♂️ Run, chug a beer or cheer at the Sycamore Beer Mile. | $21.45 | 12-1pm | Details 🎤 See singer and songwriter d4vd at The Fillmore as he makes his tour stop in Charlotte. | $56+ | 8pm | Details
Hypebeast
6 hours ago
- Hypebeast
LW Entertainment and Qubic Pictures Have Plans To Turn ‘The Phantom of the Opera' Into an Anime
Summary LW Entertainment has revealed plans to develop an anime adaptation ofThe Phantom of the Operamusical, joining forces withQubic Picturesto reimagineAndrew Lloyd Webber's celebrated stage production. The project appears to be part of LW Entertainment's broader portfolio of adaptations and cross-media ventures, which also includes film and publishing initiatives based on Webber's works. Qubic Pictures, headed by veteran producer Justin Leach – known for projects such asStar Wars: VisionsandNetflix'sEdenandLeviathan– will collaborate closely with LW Entertainment on the adaptation. While specific details, including production timelines and creative teams, remain under wraps, the partnership reflects a strategic push to expand the reach of classic theatrical titles through diverse storytelling formats. Inspired by Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, Webber's musical has enjoyed a remarkable 38-year Broadway run, acclaimed for its sweeping score, lavish staging and enduring romantic tragedy. This project would mark the first major animated interpretation of the musical, offering an opportunity to present its characters, settings and themes through the expressive and visually dynamic lens of animation.
