Dare to Learn Lecture: An Evening with Astronaut Scott Kelly

Former NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Navy Capt. Scott Kelly will be the keynote speaker for the Fall 2024 Chancellor’s Dare to Learn Lecture, an extension of the Campus Life Leadership Lecture Series.    

The lecture series aims to expose the campus community to diverse perspectives from experts and leaders and encourage the community to explore a wide range of ideas. The lecture’s name reflects the university’s motto, Discere Aude, which is often translated as “dare to learn.”    

“Capt. Scott Kelly’s extraordinary journey and achievements embody the spirit of our university’s motto, Discere Aude – dare to learn,” said UNCW Chancellor Aswani K. Volety. “His insights and experiences will undoubtedly encourage us all to reach for the stars and embrace the limitless possibilities of learning.” 

The Dare to Learn Lecture will be held Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Kenan Auditorium. The event is free; however, tickets are required. Tickets are available through the Kenan Ticket Office.     

Kelly is a U.S. spaceflight record holder and experienced test pilot with over 15,000 flight hours in more than 40 aircraft and spacecraft. A former fighter pilot, he flew the F-14 Tomcat aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Selected by NASA in 1996, Kelly is a veteran of four space flights. He piloted Space Shuttle Discovery to the Hubble Space Telescope in 1999 and commanded Space Shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2007. His long-duration space flights include two missions on the Russian Soyuz, with stays aboard the ISS as commander: a 159-day mission in 2010-2011 and a record-breaking 340-day mission in 2015. During his “Year in Space,” he conducted three spacewalks. Kelly has traveled over 200 million miles and orbited Earth more than 8,300 times. 

He has received numerous awards, including the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. Featured on the cover of TIME Magazine in 2014, he was named one of its 100 Most Influential People in 2015 and recognized by President Barack Obama at the 2015 State of the Union Address. Kelly is a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and a member of the Association of Space Explorers. He has authored three books, including the bestsellers “Endurance” and “Infinite Wonder.”