The invention of HVAC changed how fans could enjoy games
You know Adolph Rupp, Anthony Davis, John Wall, Mark Pope, Saul Smith — even Secretariat. But there's one name from UK that's cooled your game-day experience: Margaret Ingels. She didn't hit the court, but as the first woman to earn an engineering degree from UK in 1916, she helped shape the indoor climate of Kentucky sports venues—and the fan experience—in ways we still feel today.
Breaking barriers & inventing comfort
Born in 1892, Paris, Kentucky, Ingels became UK’s first female engineering grad when she earned her BSME in 1916. She went on to earn the nation’s first professional Mechanical Engineer degree in 1920 and joined Carrier Engineering in 1917. There, she pioneered the “effective temperature” concept—tying humidity and airflow to comfort—and perfected the sling psychrometer for measuring moisture .
Cooling the Wildcat roar
Before modern HVAC, packed arenas like Memorial Coliseum (1950–1976) were stifling. Ingels’ innovations helped regulate heat and humidity in these indoor coliseums, setting the stage for the electric atmosphere we now take for granted. People refer to her as the mother of HVAC for a reason, she helped usher in a whole new way to stay cool.
#OTD Margaret Ingels was born. If you can remember back in episode 26, Margaret was one of the first mechanical engineers in the US!
— shebuildspodcast (@shebuildspod) October 25, 2023
#architecture #podcaststories #womenarchitects #podcast #AEC pic.twitter.com/WFxL2axD6l
Quiet impact, lasting legacy
Ingels wasn’t about fame—she gave over 200 speeches to 12,000+ professionals, wrote 45 technical papers, and advocated for women engineers nationwide. In 1952, her famous “Petticoats and Slide Rules” speech championed women in STEM. Ingels was honored with a UK honorary Doctorate in 1957 and UK’s Hall of Distinction induction in 1993; the women’s dorm Ingels Hall opened in 2005 .
Every time you cheer in cool comfort at Rupp Arena or in front of your tv in a temperature controlled house, think of Ingels. Her behind-the-scenes engineering unlocked one of the most immersive sports experiences in the country. In celebrating her, we honor the legacy of women shaping our sports beyond the spotlight. Want to dig deeper? Check out UK’s archives or the Engineering College exhibits on her trailblazing story.