Engineered Systems Continues to Showcase the Women in Engineering

Behind every good man, there’s a great woman. Or, so the saying goes.

In HVACR engineering; however, the numbers insist that mantra simply is not true.

According to a 2016 report by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 398,000 women — or 14 percent of all engineers — are employed in architecture and/or engineering occupations. And while that percentage may appear miniscule, it’s quite astonishing considering that only 5.8 percent of engineers were women in the 1980s.

PHENOMENAL ACHIEVEMENTS

While it may be uncommon to find a female cohort in an engineering firm, those who pursue the career are accomplishing phenomenal things. In fact, the staff of Engineered Systems is honored to share the insight and expertise of a few of HVACR engineering’s most prestigious female voices in its pages every month.

Rebecca Ellis, P.E., president of Questions & Solutions Engineering Inc. in Chaska, Minnesota, has served as ES’ commissioning columnist for 20 years. Ellis is a graduate of Northwestern University and holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She’s garnered many career accolades, including a Commissioning Process Management Professional certification from ASHRAE; the Young Engineer of the Year Award from the Minnesota Federation of Engineering, Science, and Technology Societies (MFESTS); and more. Per her own admission, she’s been writing about commissioning before commissioning was cool.

Dr. Stephanie Taylor, M.D., M. Arch, CIC, is the CEO of Taylor Healthcare Commissioning Inc. and ES’ IAQ columnist. After working as a physician for many decades, Dr. Taylor obtained a master’s degree in architecture as well as an infection control certification from Harvard University. Her lifelong commitment to patient care includes focusing on improving the physical health care environment and clinical work processes to help patients heal quickly and save hospitals valuable dollars. She is a graduate of Harvard Medical School (MD) and Norwich University (master’s in architecture).

Taylor recently received a prestigious invitation to speak at the White House conference on Resilient Buildings and Climate Change, where she discussed why federal and state building standards need to be expanded to protect occupants.

In fact, Engineered Systems has been an exceptional forum for the women of engineering since its inception in the late 1980s. Over the last several decades, numerous women engineers have graced the pages of this magazine, including Amanda Parolise, Jennifer Chiodo, Christina Collester, Julie DeNardis, Katherine M. Everett, Edna Heatherington, Marcia Karr, Carol Larson, and many, many more.

SHATTERING ENGINEERING’S GLASS CEILING

While the women in engineering may be the true diamonds in the rough, we’re determined to showcase their exceptional talents through our 20 to Watch: Women in HVACR contest.

The eligibility requirements are simple: You have to be a woman, and you have to work in the HVACR engineering industry. That’s it.

Winners will be announced in Engineered Systems’ January issue, which will be distributed on the floor of the industry’s grandest event, the 2019 AHR Expo in Atlanta.

Nominations will be accepted through Nov. 15.

We’re not necessarily looking for the most powerful or influential women, per se, so don’t be shy with your nominations. We’re honored to showcase the overall excellence and continued achievements among the industry’s female movers and shakers. We hope you share our enthusiasm and are willing to help us recognize the stories of the fabulous females calling the shots within your firms.

For more information, or to submit a nomination, visit here.