Two ASHRAE members are being recognized as part of a national effort to bring attention to the future generation of engineers.

This week, DiscoverE announced the winners of its two New Faces of Engineering programs – Professional and College. Supporting associations of DiscoverE nominate members for each program. ASHRAE created the New Faces program in 2003, when it served as lead society for National Engineers Week.

The New Faces of Engineering Professional Edition recognizes the outstanding talents, skills and abilities the next generation of engineering leaders (age 30 or younger) have shown on projects that significantly impact public welfare or further professional development and growth.

ASHRAE’s top nominee for this program is Rachel Romero, P.E., an energy engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colo.

Through her work, Romero serves as a project manager and technical expert for the Department of Homeland Security energy management program and has worked on the creation of the national Standard Work Specifications for residential building professionals to ensure quality outcomes for the home energy retrofit industry.

Outside of work, she serves as the main competition organizer for the 2016 Race to Zero Student Design Competition, which brings together 34 collegiate institutions and over 300 students to inspire the next generation of building science professionals.  She also is active in ASHRAE, serving at both the national and chapter levels.

Her advice to engineering students? “Find an internship right now and get real-world experiences before you decide what type of engineer you want to be,” she said. “Engineering is a broad career and there are so many facets to even our industry with ASHRAE.”

The New Faces of Engineering College Edition, which targets 3rd, 4th and 5th year engineering college students, recognizes the nation’s most promising engineering professionals of tomorrow.

ASHRAE’s top nominee is Danielle Passaglia, an architectural engineering major, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Omaha.

She serves as president for the university’s ASHRAE Student Branch and volunteers her time during Engineers Week and Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, where she promotes opportunities available within engineering to students.

Passaglia plans on using her education to help make an impact on the industry.

“The opportunities that come with an engineering degree are endless, and it will allow me to find my niche in this field,” she said. “I am excited to work with other individuals who share this passion and see how our ideas can come together to make something innovative.”