At the end of the first week of classes, five mechanical engineering students — Katherine Hennig, Ashley Corona, Madison Kai, Julia McMorrow and Roha Ali — and two faculty members — Jennifer Mott and Lauren Rueda — attended the inaugural Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium in Chicago, Illinois.
More than 200 women mechanical engineers, architects and other professionals related to the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industries met to network and learn about being a leader in industry.
From the first keynote speaker, the group heard about how women are critical to helping solve the issues of climate change, energy and decarbonization. Our capacity for empathy and caring, as well as our technical knowledge, gives women a unique way of looking at problems and determining solutions.
Other sessions included talks on building confidence and communication, inspiring volunteers, being a transformative leader, and building a network of mentorship. Technical sessions included topics on how to advocate for sustainable design and learning about the newest information on standards for energy efficient and decarbonization solutions.
Highlights included an evening architectural Chicago boat tour and watching a 2022 Cal Poly mechanical engineering alumna, Paige Ross, give her speech, “How can young women in the HVAC&R industry navigate the unique challenges they encounter, and how can ASHRAE, employers, and the engineering community cultivate a culture of empowerment, support, and mentorship to help them thrive?” Paige was one of eight finalists selected from the competition to present her talk.
