YEA - Young Engineers in ASHRAE

Welcome to the Region X Young Engineers in ASHRAE Page!!
(Young Engineers in ASHRAE (YEA) means you are an active ASHRAE member, age 35 or younger)

Cindy Hyatt
YRC (YEA Regional Coordinator)

I'm Cindy Hyatt, your Region X treasurer and YRC (YEA Regional Coordinator) and I'm super stoked to be working with all of our young ASHRAE members to sustain the awesome momentum that ASHRAE has experienced in recent years. It's no secret that when many of our industry professionals (especially the newcomers) think of ASHRAE they think of boring tech sessions, codes, standards, old guys with pocket protectors (mad respect to those forefathers of HVAC, by the way), but the thing we are here to emphasize is that, like all good things, ASHRAE is evolving.

The generations before us who laid the groundwork that we are building on are welcoming the young minds of the future into their offices, labs, and beloved professional organization and asking us to join them in continuing the tradition of innovative thought and design. They are asking us to continue to expand on the ideas that have been the foundation of ASHRAE since its inception. Not only are the youngest members of ASHRAE being invited to attend meetings and learn from our predecessors, but we are being recruited for Members' Council committees, technical committees, etc. and they are asking us what we think and how we want to build. And THAT is pretty rad.

Our 2011-2012 Society President, Mr. Ron Jarnagin, unveiled his theme for the ASHRAE year at the annual meeting in Montreal. "Sustaining ASHRAE Through Leadership" is our focus on recognizing the infinite talent within our organization and making sure that our membership is aware of all of the opportunities for growth within ASHRAE. Many people think of ASHRAE as simply a resource for technical information. Which is a great thing and it means we are doing a lot of things right. We ARE a world leader for HVAC research and growth and we want to continue to excel in that regard and expand our reach. But that is not all that ASHRAE is. ASHRAE is an organization of opportunities for professional development, networking with peers, exploring HVAC in action, traveling to experience different climates and their technologies, and so much more.

As Young Engineers in ASHRAE, it's not always easy to see through all of the text and jargon and figure out the who's who or what's what. That is why YEA was created as a committee on Members' Council and why the YEA Institute has grown so rapidly over the past few years. Consider us your pathway to all things ASHRAE. Allow us to act as your guide while you get to know ASHRAE and all that we have to offer. The YEA Institute has many resources to introduce you to ASHRAE and to illuminate the facets of ASHRAE that best suit your interests and goals.

What is the YEA Institute??? YOU might ask. . . .

The answer: "The YEA Institute" designed to help you develop your skills, grow as a professional and expand your network, the YEA Institute was created to offer a variety of YEA-focused education and networking programs tailored to your specific needs:

  • YEA Leadership Weekend
  • Smart Start Program
  • Social/Networking Events at Society Meetings
  • YEA Page on Society Website
  • YEA Connections Newsletter
  • Facebook Page
  • Technical Committees Guide
  • Young Members Guide
  • Mentorship Program
  • Leadership U
  • College of Fellows Graduate Student Travel Award
  • New Faces in Engineering
  • Social & Technical Chapter Activities
  • Student Activities Liaison

And that's just the tip of the iceberg! To learn more about all of the awesome programs and resources mentioned above, and to become more active with your local ASHRAE chapter, please feel free to contact me any time at cindyh@tmmechanical.com or check out the Young Engineers in ASHRAE page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/ashraeYEA or on the ASHRAE Society website at http://www.ashrae.org/members/page/861.

I'm going to do my best to add to this website throughout the year and keep you updated on all of the exciting things going on for YEA members, but like you, I have a full-time job and never enough time in the day, so if I fall behind, please don't be shy!! If you want to know more about ASHRAE, YEA, or anything you see above, PLEASE e-mail me! My goal is to have a YEA chapter chair assigned in each of the Region X chapters by the end of the year, so hopefully you will all have a local contact as well (if you don't already), but in the meantime, I'm here. Ask me! I know stuff. I swear. (And if I don't know it, I know who to ask. And that, my friends, is what ASHRAE is all about!!)

Best wishes for a fantastic ASHRAE year and I look forward to working with you all!

YEA LEADERSHIP WEEKEND!!! September 30-October 2, 2011