Hi, my name is Juliette Milbank. I’m a mechanical engineer and I completed a PhD in aeroacoustics a lifetime ago (18 years) and then shortly afterwards ended up in a regional Victoria – so no research job opportunities here! I drifted for a while, doing a bit of freelance consulting in turbulence measurement and data analysis, and tending to things on the domestic front, desperately missing the research environment I had so enjoyed. A few years ago I started some study in Professional Writing and loved it. I have a keen interest in health and renewable energy, but I find all sorts of things fascinating.
I used to play competitive squash and touch football in my former lives. I love the natural world, hiking, gardening, taking photos with my phone, and reading and cooking when I get the time. I’m also a member of Landcare and, through walking the tracks, chipping out weeds and helping revegetate paddocks and creek lines, it has strengthened my love of our indigenous plants and animals and emphasised the challenges that they and we face. Representing residents on planning matters with the local council has sharpened my interest in planning for long-term community well-being, which sits alongside a longstanding interest in good housing design. I’m curious about the way we do things and the day-to-day things that we take for granted. All of which feeds into a desire to examine issues and look past the surface to get a better understanding. To look at things in a different light.