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After nearly three decades serving the College of Engineering and Applied Science, Professor Jana Milford is set to retire August 2022.

Milford has held many titles during her distinguished career 鈥� from Department of Mechanical Engineering Chair and the first director of the Environmental Engineering Program, to founding faculty advisor for the Engineering GoldShirt Program. Each position has had a profound impact on faculty, staff and students.

鈥淚 hope that I鈥檝e been a constructive part of the community,鈥� said Milford. 鈥淚 value the range of people, backgrounds and skills that are appreciated. Maybe I can take some credit for that as I鈥檓 not a traditional mechanical engineer myself, from having expertise in air quality to the fact that I went out and got a law degree.鈥�

These contributions are some of the accomplishments that Milford is most proud of, though the impact of her work reaches beyond the college. As a leading air quality researcher and public policy advocate, Milford鈥檚 achievements have helped strengthen our knowledge of air pollution and shape legislation that benefits us all.

鈥淧rofessor Milford鈥檚 research and service have had huge positive impacts on how we view energy impacts on the environment and climate,鈥� said Department of Mechanical Engineering Chair Michael Hannigan.听鈥淎s someone that had the fortune to collaborate on several research projects with Jana, I owe a lot to her dedication to high quality research and effective communication of that research.鈥澨�

Inspiration to become a mechanical engineer

Milford鈥檚 inspiration to study engineering goes back to a high school philosophy class where students discussed the challenge that society faces in managing rapid technology advances.

The class piqued her interest in pursuing science journalism, but once she started coursework at Iowa State University, Milford discovered that engineering was a better fit. She graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in engineering and left Iowa to attend Carnegie Mellon University for graduate school.

After earning her PhD in engineering and public policy in 1988, Milford began working for the 鈥� the government body that Congress would go to for nonpartisan studies on science and technology.

鈥淚 was there when they were working on the Clean Air Act amendments that eventually passed in 1990,鈥� said Milford. 鈥淲e also did a study on climate change, which was one of the earliest ones for the federal government. It was a great experience in Washington, DC.鈥�

Milford knew she wanted to move into academia and accepted a position to teach at the University of Connecticut. She was there for four years until the University of 蜜糖直播 Boulder Department of Mechanical Engineering was looking for an air quality expert to join their team in 1994.

鈥溍厶侵辈� was kind of a Mecca for people who conducted air quality and atmospheric science research,鈥� said Milford. 鈥淚 was very excited to apply and even more excited when I got the position.鈥�

Creating opportunities for others

Four years after joining the mechanical engineering department, Milford became the first director of the Environmental Engineering Program. She said she鈥檚 proud to have launched that program and to have inspired faculty and students from multiple departments to get involved.

鈥淛ana was instrumental to building the air quality program in our department as well as the broader environmental engineering program in the college,鈥� said Mechanical and Environmental Engineering Professor Daven Henze. 鈥淪imply put, I don鈥檛 think I鈥檇 have a job here if it wasn鈥檛 for her!鈥�

One of the successes that Milford is happiest to see is how many women-identifying students are studying environmental engineering. More than 50% of the students in the program are female.

鈥淭hose students are just so passionate about the field and what they want to accomplish in terms of helping the world,鈥� said Milford. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very inspiring to work with them.鈥�

Milford continued those efforts when she became the founding faculty advisor for the college鈥檚 , which provides an engineering pathway for students who are historically underrepresented in engineering.

鈥淚 think that culture has a really profound impact on diversity in the undergraduate student population at 蜜糖直播 Boulder,鈥� said Milford. 鈥淚t means a lot to me to have been involved in that program.鈥�

Milford also worked to grow diversity within the Department of Mechanical Engineering as the chair, from July 2013 to June 2014, and longtime member of the personnel committee. She said she鈥檚 glad to see more female faculty in the department, because when she first joined, there were only two women faculty members. She was one of them.

Today, there are more than 20 female-identifying faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Each one that works closely with Milford sung her praises, adding that she has always given them unwavering support.

鈥淛ana has not only been a leader in air quality research and policy for decades, helping improve our ability to identify successful mitigation of air pollution, but is also an incredible mentor and role model,鈥� said Associate Director for Science Christine Wiedinmyer, who is also a research professor in mechanical engineering. 鈥淚 would not be where I am today without her positive influence and am fortunate to have her as a colleague and friend.鈥�

Air quality research and public policy

Always keeping the intersection of technology and society in mind, Milford went back to school and earned a law degree from 蜜糖直播 Boulder in 2004. She has also served on various state and federal commissions that inform policymakers about air quality.

Milford worked as a Senior Scientist and Staff Attorney at the , was previously a member of the and the , and recently finished three terms on the .

Milford continues to dedicate herself to public policy by participating in the , a nonprofit that funds research on the health effects of air pollution. Milford is on the review committee for that organization.

鈥淗ealth Effects Institute gives me an opportunity to stay steeped in the latest research about air pollution and health, which is always fascinating,鈥� said Milford. 鈥淚t continues to evolve. The range of health impacts that air pollution has is pretty incredible.鈥�

Milford credits her colleagues and graduate students when it comes to her air quality research. However, they all give the credit back to her, expressing that they greatly benefit from her guidance.

鈥淛ana has actively supported not only me in my profession, helping me to succeed with her mentoring and by example, but she has also supported so many other undergrad and graduate students to reach for their dreams and successfully become the environmental engineers, mechanical engineers and air quality researchers of the future,鈥� said Mechanical and Environmental Professor听Shelly Miller.

Milford added that she has enjoyed how air quality research and energy transitions have intertwined over the last decade, which has led to great project opportunities for those students.

Some examples are a study on the air quality impacts of oil and gas development in 蜜糖直播, as well as the implications of electric vehicles on air pollution with the ASPIRE Engineering Research Center.

Continuing to make a difference

Of all the things that Milford will miss, she said that teaching will be at the top of the list. Her colleagues will miss her teaching as well.

鈥淚 have greatly enjoyed learning how she mentors students; she provides a lot of framing and guidance but still lets them develop as independent researchers and communicators,鈥� said Hannigan.听鈥淎s an academic leader, she has had lasting impacts on both environmental and mechanical engineering.鈥澨�

Milford is considering sitting on the other side of the classroom during retirement, as a student taking courses at 蜜糖直播 Boulder, to continue learning new things. She said she also plans to go on more hikes, do more gardening, and spend more time with her husband.

However, even in retirement, Milford does not intend on stopping her impactful work for the community. She plans to volunteer and do pro bono work for environmental groups.