Employee Exclusive: Get To Know Sierra Spitulski
1. What does a “day in the life” look like for you at P2S?
My average day changes so much! I wear many hats in my role, so any given day is a combination of managing projects, fielding engineering questions, checking in with my team and studio leaders, working through day-to-day operations challenges and successes, connecting with clients, being present at industry events, or dreaming up the next initiative to address morale, engagement, and efficiency! It keeps me busy, but I love every minute of it.
2. As Healthcare Group Leader at P2S, what are some notable ways your work with hospitals and other healthcare facilities has helped protect health care workers and patients?
This is probably one of the areas of my work I am most passionate about. Preventing the spread of hospital-acquired infections is a real need. State and federal code regulations and recommendations for hospitals already contain elements aimed at improving air quality and removing airborne pathogens: low-level air exhaust near a patient’s head in infection-control spaces to remove exhaled particulates from the airstream, multistage filtration at the air handling unit, negatively pressurized and exhausted dirty spaces and positively pressurized and HEPA-filtered protective spaces for the most vulnerable and immunocompromised patients. Some of our recent designs encourage hospitals to opt-in to additional levels of HVAC cleanliness using UV lights in the air handling system to further eradicate airborne pathogens, increased levels of MERV filtration, and regular maintenance and cleaning. We also encourage conversations on constantly evolving research for recommended airflows over and around patients in an operating room environment…I could probably talk about the mechanical areas of impact all day! My entire team is just as passionate about staying on top of developments in mechanical, electrical and commissioning in healthcare spaces.
3. What types of exciting things are you working on as part of your deep involvement with ASHRAE?
At the Society level, I’m involved in the technical committee focused on healthcare facilities (TC 9.6), specifically working on handbook and program subcommittees. The objective is to provide a recommended process and best practices for all mechanical engineers working in healthcare facilities across the world.
At the Regional level as the Region XI DEI Chair, I’m working with other regional leaders across the Society to streamline chapter access to current ASHRAE DEI resources. This is proving to be a very spicy topic in many circles!
At the Chapter level, I serve on the ASHRAE Puget Sound Board of Governors, where I’m able to use my past experience working with the Southern California Chapter to advise new volunteers on structure and opportunities.
4. Getting young girls and women interested in STEM has been a priority across education and programming. What advice would you give to those who might want to become a Sierra Spitulski?
My advice to young girls and women interested in STEM is to own the space in which they exist and realize that their individual strengths are needed and appreciated and valuable on their own. The unique perspective they bring to the table will only add a beautiful depth to any collaboration that’s willing to hear them.
The more strategic advice might be to the rest of the world: do your best to be conscious of the tiny presumptions or unconscious biases that may sneak into your messaging, behavior, or implications of what someone in STEM looks like. The roots of imposter syndrome start with something as small as having an “engineer” and a “woman engineer” emoji or asking Siri who scored the most international soccer goals (spoiler alert: it’s actually not Cristiano Ronaldo). When it comes to encouraging young women in STEM, the burden should not be on the girls to be like anyone else. We have to make the table welcoming for them to come as they are. There is space for everyone.
5. With all your industry work through ASHRAE and an intense career, what are your favorite non-engineering activities or hobbies?
I hope anyone who has had a phone call with me has seen and enjoyed the plethora of houseplants in the background, whether at home or in the office. I like to say that I am an engineer by degree, but I am a problem-solver by nature, and it is absolutely so satisfying to watch my plants sprout and bloom and blossom through tiny changes. It’s like a thousand little experiments going on around me all the time.
I also recently started volunteering with a local robotics team! Still engineering-related, but very different from my day-to-day job. It’s super fascinating listening to students work through problems, and it constantly humbles me and gives me new perspectives.
And as seen in my picture, I love car camping in the middle of the wilderness with my Blubaru. Waking up to a crisp morning and making a hot cup of coffee is one of life’s greatest delights. Bonus points if my springer joins me!
