Messages from the Student Activities Chairman, Monterrey Chapter

Message June 2006

I gladly accepted few years ago, as professor in a university, to be proposed as Advisor of the UANL Student Branch. Then I received the honor to be proposed as Student Activities Chairman 2004-2006 in the Monterrey Chapter. This was a challenge since  José Félix Rodríguez-Laveaga, who was in charge, had performed a terrific work that made the Monterrey Chapter a reference within region VIII. The chapter was move forward to promote new student branches, activating others, reviewing the scholarship program and showing value in our local environment. Just as an example I can say that the regional coordinator at regional level accepted that the registration fees paid by the chapter to the students that attend curses organized by the Monterrey Chapter were considered a direct contribution to the student activities program.

During the time a was coordinator I participated in the newsletter writing notes about the chapter's mission, the agreement between ASHRAE and UANL, and the importance of the relationship with the professional sector, the scholarships, the activities in Torreón, PAOE analysis and invitations to visit the student zone. There are more details at http://grafito.fime.uanl.mx/sa_ashrae/index.html

Thank you very much to all the persons that offered their help beyond words. I also want to recognize the support given by Ing. Rogelio G. Garza Rivera, dean of the Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, toward this kind of activities, and I will continue with new responsibilities as President Elect, and of course as Advisor of the UANL Student Branch.

Juan Aguilar
(June 2006)


Message June 2005

I have been honored with the charge of Chairman of Student Activities of ASHRAE, Monterrey Chapter. I express my most sincere gratitude to the advisors, officers at the branches and the students because the achievements are due to all of you.

I wish to take this opportunity for presenting a summary of such achievements:

It is recognized the money dedicated to sponsor students within the training programs as a donation to student activities, 1 student was working part time during her school as part of the chapter program, 2 K-12 activities were carried out, 12 technical activities, 2 student nights and 19 activities with the student branches. 35 scholarships were granted and 59 student members attended the monthly sessions during the year. This chapter was the first one in reporting its activities to ASHRAE and uploaded it to the web. The UANL student branch started its site emphasizing international aspects by multilingual gates.

There are also challenges: Among others, the student membership decreased, although it is possible that gets better with students of the Universidad Tecnológica de Torreón, which is close to have a branch. There has not been participation neither, in the design contest nor the applications to research funding.

I have been trusted once again by Félix Rodríguez for being the Chairman of Student Activities, I thank you all of you your effort and I let you know that I accepted again because I know that I have the support from all of you.

Juan Aguilar
June 2005

Message October 2004

Dear colleagues and friends:

I have been honored with the position of Monterrey Chapter Student Activities Chair. Therefore I think that one of my first duties is to say thank you to all of you whom have given their trustfulness. I also want to say thank you to the Monterrey Chapter Board, to Félix Rodríguez, the former chair, because he promised not to leave me alone and teach me the thousand and one things (he is currently President Elect) that he learned during his term as chairman. I also count with Silvia Estrada as Vice-Chair, the Branches Student Advisors at ITESM, José Manrique, and ITCM, Eduardo Vega, and not less important Leopoldo Flores and Jorge Osuna as relationship persons with UANL and ITESM respectively.

I am also a Student Branch Advisor (at UANL), and I am convinced that all the branches are growing as a single body reinforcing and at the same time being endorsed by the Monterrey Chapter. The idea is to have a competitive environment that allows the students to appreciate the value that being an ASHRAE member means.

The purpose of this page is to show what the Student Branches are doing. Probably you will find duplicate information among the branch pages and the page of Student Activities Chair, indeed it is only reinforced because the Student Branch pages are updated by the students with their activities, with the supervision of the Faculty Advisor, while this page must contain somehow a report. In fact the chairman is responsible of reporting the Student Activities, that is why I invite the Faculty Advisors, the Vice-Chair, the Student Branch Boards and any one involve in a student activity to submit their achievements and plans to me, in order to give the proper credit, to report and to share with the ASHRAE community.

ASHRAE International has encouraged certain activities trough assigning points to them for ensuring a balance on the development and operation of the chapters. This system is known as PAOE (Presidential Award of Excellence) that allows comparing chapters and branches performances, and providing a guide for future improvement. It is our idea that our chapter is not persuading to have activities for making points only, but we also care about them because we know their meaning.

I invite all of the persons interested on the sciences and arts of heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning to join ASHRAE. Please read the "Student Membership" section and find out what ASHRAE has especially for students. ASHRAE is very interested in the students because they are the strength and the beginning of the next generations.

Please, browse the links of this site and I am looking forward to meet you at some ASHRAE activity and thank you for your support.
 

Juan Aguilar
October 2004

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