The States of Matter Podcast

Engineering, you might think it’s a man’s job but it really isn’t

In this episode we have a shared episode with the IOR’s Tip of the Iceberg podcast.  Miriam Rodway talks to a student doing work experience at the IOR discussing how their views - and those of their friends - have changed about the sector and careers now they know more about refrigeration air conditioning and heat pumps.  We talked about what kind of career advice young people receive in schools, what they think of engineering and what we can do to raise awareness of this sector.  If you are unsure whether you should take on a student for a week's work experience, we hope this podcast will help convince you of how much value they can add!

The gut is the mothership of our health

We all want to be healthier. In this episode, we talk to Angelika Cutuk-Short, a functional nutritionist with a special interest in perimenopause and menopausal women’s health. 
Angelika shares hints and tips for managing perimenopause and menopausal symptoms and explains how by using diet and exercise you can take back control and restore your gut health. 
Angelika Cutuk-Short
To find out more about Angelika visit https://nutritioninmind.uk/
More information about the IOR and WiRACHP
For more information about the  Institute of Refrigeration and the Women in RACHP Network visit https://ior.org.uk/women-in-rachp
 
 
 

No right, no wrong, just different

How do you grow both personally and professionally and develop a working life that brings you joy? This month we talk to Juliet Loiselle, Publisher of ACR Journal who explains the importance of staying true to your values, being brave and asking for advice. These are the attributes that have sustained Juliet’s career in the RACHP sector and led to her remarkable fantastic year of “Yes”.

Professional Troublemakers

Discussing allyship is simple, but being a genuine ally can come with its own challenges and discomfort. Becoming an ally is a gradual process that requires not only recognising your positive actions but also acknowledging your mistakes. It involves raising awareness about how one's actions can affect others.
In this episode, we are joined by two guests, Lee Chambers and Steve Gill to shed light on the complexities and responsibilities of allyship. Lee is an acclaimed business psychologist, a committed male ally, and an expert in well-being. Steve is the Head of Sustainable Cooling at the Carbon Trust and the founder of Cool Mentoring, a platform dedicated to connecting and empowering young professionals and students in the refrigeration sector.
More information about the IOR and WiRACHP
For more information about the  Institute of Refrigeration and the Women in RACHP Network visit https://ior.org.uk/women-in-rachp

INWIC – a network to fall back on

Our featured guest this month is Colleen Keyworth, the President of the International Woman in Cooling (INWIC) Network. Colleen shares the positive impact her active participation in a professional network has had on her career development. She discusses the importance of tackling gender stereotyping when it comes to career choices and how raising the visibility of women in predominantly male roles is vital to help recruit the next generation of women into the RACHP and HVAC professions. She also shares the story of how she ended up leaving amateur rodeo and kayak tours behind to become part of the HVACR community.
About our guest 
Colleen Keyworth is the current president of the US group Women in HVACR and has recently been appointed as the first president of the International Network for Women in Cooling (INWIC). Colleen is also the director of sales and marketing for Online Access Inc, an HVACR web marketing company.
More information about the IOR, WiRACHP and INWIC
For more information about the  Institute of Refrigeration and the Women in RACHP Network visit https://ior.org.uk/women-in-rachp
Information about INWIC can be found at www.inwic.org
 

I’m human, hello!

This episode is dedicated to celebrating the positive impact of supporting mental health in the workplace and offers advice on how to nurture your own mental well-being.
From embracing neuro-atypical personalities and behaviours to supporting those experiencing mental health difficulties, fostering an inclusive work environment can create a space that welcomes and accommodates everyone, leading to happier and healthier staff. Recognising and prioritising mental health not only makes better leaders and managers but also creates a sense of belonging and promotes overall well-being within organisations. 
About our guest Solène Anglaret
Day-to-day, Solène is a diversity, inclusion, and belonging lead. Her mission is to break down borders and bring the world closer together one conversation and one story at a time.
As a neuroatypical individual, or “a round shape too large to fit in any box” as she often says, Solène is a vocal mental health and wellbeing advocate. She is constantly looking for ways to learn more about the human experience and break down stigmas and stereotypes.
To contact Solène:
Website: bebeyondborders.com
Instagram @bebeyondborders
More information about the IOR and WiRACHP
For more information about the  Institute of Refrigeration and the Women in RACHP Network visit https://ior.org.uk/women-in-rachp

Why be afraid of a chainsaw?

Self-belief, determination and role models. Three things that led both Catarina Marques and Nasheen Basha to have successful academic careers.
This month's guests discuss the importance of women realising they don’t have to be perfect, the advantages of working in diverse teams and how learning through failure is not as scary as it sounds.
Additional information 
More information about the  Institute of Refrigeration and the Women in RACHP Network visit https://ior.org.uk/women-in-rachp
Looking for advice on careers or becoming a STEM Ambassador RACHP visit https://ior.org.uk/careers

Plant a litte seed

Hear from two award-winning engineers who have taken very different routes into the RACHP industry but both share a passion for encouraging the next generation of engineers. Laura Bishop and Jacinta Caden share their experiences of working in some unusual surroundings, the importance of mentoring and how being involved in professional bodies can enhance and develop careers. They also discuss topless calendars and how flipping the script can change a company policy in less than 24 hours. 
 
Additional information 
More information about the  Institute of Refrigeration and the Women in RACHP Network visit https://ior.org.uk/women-in-rachp
Looking for advice on careers or becoming a STEM Ambassador RACHP visit https://ior.org.uk/careers
 
 

Everyone hates that feeling of being excluded

Hear how tampons and toolbox talks are being used to create a more inclusive and diverse workforce. Our guest, Kat Parsons, is a passionate advocate for a more inclusive culture. In this episode, she shares some of her experiences of being an engineer working on-site and how an interest in health and well-being led to her becoming the Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at ISS. She discusses the initiatives and changes implemented at ISS that acknowledge that not everyone is the same and how, with a little consideration, everyone can be supported and allowed to thrive.
Additional information 
More information about the  Institute of Refrigeration and the Women in RACHP Network visit https://ior.org.uk/women-in-rachp
For more information on the Female Design and Build Project visit the LinkedIn Page https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/female-design-build-project-kat-parsons

Too young and too female

If you suffer from imposter feelings you are not alone. Although all genders experience these nagging doubts, research has shown that women experience them more often than their male colleagues. Hear from Carla Miller, a leadership and lifestyle coach about how social expectations and self-doubt can negatively impact women in the workplace. She shares hints and tips on managing those inner voices and changing behaviours that may hold you back.
This month's guest 
Carla Miller is a leadership coach who works with women to develop their careers and confidence. Hundreds of women have taken part in her Influence & Impact programme from companies including GSK, BT, Channel 4, Muller and Deloitte, as well as national charities, the NHS and the Civil Service.
Her work is inspired by the challenges she had to overcome to succeed and she is on a mission to empower 10,000 women in their careers. She has been featured in national media such as The Guardian and Psychologies magazine and regularly chairs conference panels on leadership. She hosts a chart-topping podcast - Influence & Impact for female leaders - and is the author of Closing the Influence Gap: A practical guide for women leaders who want to be heard, which is an Amazon best seller.  Closing the Influence Gap was named one of the books all leaders should read in 2022 by Management Today. 
Additional resources
More information about the  Institute of Refrigeration, Women in RACHP
Carla's Book Closing the Influence Gap: A practical guide for women leaders who want to be heard
bookshop.org - https://uk.bookshop.org/books/closing-the-influence-gap-a-practical-guide-for-women-leaders-who-want-to-be-heard/9781788603614
Carla's Podcast:  Influence and impact for female leaders https://pod.link/1435136477
Carla's coaching and training  - https://www.carlamillertraining.com/individuals