PITTSBURGH (PTTP)- Jill Millstone, a professor in the Pitt Chemistry department, is more than just a teacher- she’s an MVP, or Most Valuable Professor.
Millstone has taught for 14 years, currently working in materials and inorganic chemistry with both undergraduates and graduate students. She initially got involved in chemistry as an undergraduate and really enjoyed learning about the answers to all her questions the more she got involved.
“I just really loved learning the tools to answer your own questions,” Millstone said
Millstone has always been interested in the world around her, whether that be through literature and other interests, or science.
“I’ve consistently been fascinated and excited by the world around us,” Millstone said.
While Millstone serves as an inspiration for many, she has inspirations herself within the field. Dr. Richard Feynman, an American theoretical physicist who assisted in the development of the atomic bomb and worked to help enlarge the understanding of quantum electrodynamics, found beauty within his work. She admires this beauty within the work, especially for the concrete and formatted nature of chemistry. The rigor of the work is at the forefront of her mind when it comes to Feynman alongside Dr. Carl Sagan.
Inspiration can be found in the greats, but it can also be found within our families. Millstone said she is inspired by her great grandparents, who immigrated to this country, and other hardworking peoples. She recognizes that humanity has been focused on gathering its needs for so long, and the opportunity she has to focus on one exploration instead of this need.
“I think about the privilege that it is as a human being and certainly as a modern person, to be pursuing how the world works,” Millstone said.