Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium 2024

At the end of the first week of classes, five mechanical engineering students—Katherine Hennig, Ashley Corona, Madison Kai, Julia McMorrow, Roha Ali—and two faculty—Dr. Jennifer Mott and Prof. Lauren Rueda—attended the inaugural Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium in Chicago, IL. Over 200 women mechanical engineers, architects, and other professionals related to the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry met to network and learn about being a leader in industry.

From the first keynote speaker we 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, communication, inspiring volunteers, being a transformative leader and the importance of 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 ME alum, Paige Ross, give a 5-minute speech on “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 8 finalists selected from the competition to present her talk.