The Greater Toronto Area engineering community has long been a predominantly male-driven business.  Very few women held positions a project managers, team leaders or decision makers 30 years ago.  Of the women who moved into these positions, most were educated in a foreign country bringing their engineering expertise to Canada.  Today, women are advancing into key positions and taking on leadership roles in their communities.

ASHRAE Toronto has seen growth in the young engineers and students attending our dinner events.  Of these new faces are a growing number of women graduating from mechanical engineering programs in the GTA.   The young women are volunteering and leading programs within ASHRAE.  Women in the engineering community are mentoring these future managers, associates and industry leaders.

Today, we congratulate Catherine Karakatsanis, chief operating officer at Morrison Hershfield in Toronto, as a recipient of the Women's Executive Network 2013 Canada's Most Powerful Women Top 100 Award.  We celebrate her professional achievement in the engineering community.  Morrison Hershfield said that "Karakatsani has had a progressive career at the firm moving successfully through a series of roles with extensive engineering and management experience.  As COO she provides business leadership and is responsible for domestic and international operations of Morrison Hershfield which has offices throughout Canada and the United States."

In addition to her current role Catherine is the immediate past president of Engineers Canada, a board member with Engineers Without Borders, a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and chair of the Faculty of Engineering Advisory Council for Western University.  Her company reaffirmed its position "ensuring the success and advancement of women in the engineering workplace and in the community."

I encourage all engineers and technicians to support the interest of young girls and women in the math and sciences, leading them into a rewarding career in mechanical trades, sales or engineering.  

I leave you with this video 

Have a great day!

Secretary - ASHRAE Toronto Chapter

One of the many ways ASHRAE Research helps to create better indoor and outdoor environments is through research and development in energy standards. Some of ASHRAE Research energy efficiency goals include:

Supporting the development of tools, procedures and methods suitable for designing low energy buildings.

• Maximizing the actual operating energy performance of buildings and entire facilities.
• Improving the understanding of energy efficiency, environmental quality and building design in professional education programs.
• Further the development of building information modeling (BIM) for high performance buildings.
• Supporting the development HVAC & R equipment to provide better component and system efficiency.
• Promoting enhancements to the Advanced Energy Design Guide and net zero energy buildings

To make your investment in ASHRAE Research, go to www.torontoashrae.com  Click on Donate/Pay Invoice Tab on the upper toolbar. Click on Donation: ASHRAE Research Canada. You can make your payment by credit card or Paypal just as you do for meeting and event registration.

Thank you  for your support.

Alan J. Porter, P. Eng.
Chair, Research Promotion ASHRAE Toronto Chapter 2013-2014