Sunday, 26 June 2016: 11:00 AM-12:30 PM
Professional Skills Beyond Engineering
Chair:
Chris Gray, Ph.D., P.E., Georgia Power Company
Technical Committee: 01.07 Business, Management & General Legal Education
Sponsor: Women in ASHRAE, YEA
While the demographics of our industry are changing, there are still many groups of people that are underrepresented in ASHRAE. This seminar looks into how unconscious bias has affected our decision-making process over the years and how that has caused our industry to develop to its current make-up. A data analysis of ASHRAE’s membership is discussed and compared to membership data from our partner organizations in the built environment. The seminar discusses the significant benefits of changing these demographics and including personal accounts of diversity issues and successes in the workplace.
1 Beyond the Comfort Zone: Unconscious Bias for the Analytical Mind
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Erin McConahey, P.E., Arup |
Understanding why unconscious bias exists and how it affects our decision-making process is a key element of many successful Diversity and Inclusion programs. Recent research allows us to see how unconscious bias is “wired” into our brains. Each of us has some personal collection of unconscious biases; and as leaders it is important that we become aware of our own biases so that we can choose to make well-considered decisions. Come learn about the most common biases present in technical fields in the culture of North America and some of the best practices in building an inclusive environment in your workplace.
2 Women in ASHRAE, By the Numbers
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Jessica Mangler, P.E., Affiliated Engineers, Inc. |
The Women in ASHRAE affinity group is a small but vocal group and they are starting a movement to encourage the retention of women in the built environment. This presentation will analyze ASHRAE membership data and examine the percentage of women involved in standing committees, technical committees, and ASHRAE as a whole with feedback from a survey of ASHRAE’s female members. Then presentation will take the analysis a step further and compare ASHRAE’s female membership to the female membership in other partner organizations. Conclusions will be drawn about how to increase female participation numbers and benefits of encouraging this movement.
3 Personal Experiences of Diversity in the Workplace and in Your ASHRAE Chapter
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Jennifer E. Leach, P.E., Cummins-Wagner Co, Inc. |
Personal stories are always the most touching because they are “personal”. This presentation will be highlighting some real life stories, good and bad, and then some initiative that can be implemented in your workplace and in your ASHRAE home chapter.