Senior Research Scientist
My career in coral reef science started in the late 1970s when I took classes and worked as a research technician for Dr. John Ogden at West Indies Laboratory in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Later, I worked for Dr. Caroline Rogers to monitor seagrass and coral reefs for the US Virgin Islands government. I moved to cold water for my doctoral studies, including field studies in Massachusetts and Greenland (under Dr. Robert Wilce). After graduate school, I returned to West Indies Laboratory to work as Science Director for the Aquarius underwater laboratory program. I eventually became Center Director for the National Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina – Wilmington, where I worked for 20 years. I moved to the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences at Nova Southeastern University to advance my coral reef research in Florida. Specifically, my research focus is benthic coral reef monitoring in the Florida Keys. The work aims to understand factors affecting community structure over the last several decades in multiple habitat types, including marine reserves. Metrics include benthic cover, coral demographics, octocoral abundance, species richness of corals, sponges, and octocorals, and urchin abundance. I also worked on water quality and coral restoration projects in the Florida Keys. My current research interests include eDNA studies on rare corals and invasive species in the Florida Keys.
In addition to coral reef research, I work to advance innovative and entertaining science communication projects. I was a founding member of the Shifting Baselines Ocean Media Campaign (https://www.shiftingbaselines.org/), which produced short films and public service announcements. I was the Executive Producer for the documentary film Flock of Dodos: The Evolution-Intelligent Design (https://www.amazon.com/Flock-Dodos-Evolution-Intelligent-Design-Circus/dp/B000WQTQ52), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and aired on Showtime TV for two years. I also started the Death to Lionfish media campaign, which includes a Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/deathtolionfish/) and a public service announcement that received wide distribution, including local movie theaters in the Florida Keys.
I am a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. I was the Recording Secretary for the International Coral Reef Society. I served as a Board Member of the Coral Restoration Foundation (where I chaired the Science Advisory Committee) and the Ocean Conservancy.
I am not accepting new graduate students.
Education
1976 Brown University, BA Biology
1988 University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Ph.D. Botany
Contact information
smiller@nova.edu
smiller52@gmail.com
305-451-9030 cell
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About Steven Miller
My career in coral reef science started in the late 1970s when I took classes and worked as a research technician for Dr. John Ogden at West Indies Laboratory in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Later, I worked for Dr. Caroline Rogers to monitor seagrass and coral reefs for the US Virgin Islands government. I moved to cold water for my doctoral studies, including field studies in Massachusetts and Greenland (under Dr. Robert Wilce). After graduate school, I returned to West Indies Laboratory to work as Science Director for the Aquarius underwater laboratory program. I eventually became Center Director for the National Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina – Wilmington, where I worked for 20 years. I moved to the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences at Nova Southeastern University to advance my coral reef research in Florida. Specifically, my research focus is benthic coral reef monitoring in the Florida Keys. The work aims to understand factors affecting community structure over the last several decades in multiple habitat types, including marine reserves. Metrics include benthic cover, coral demographics, octocoral abundance, species richness of corals, sponges, and octocorals, and urchin abundance. I also worked on water quality and coral restoration projects in the Florida Keys. My current research interests include eDNA studies on rare corals and invasive species in the Florida Keys.
In addition to coral reef research, I work to advance innovative and entertaining science communication projects. I was a founding member of the Shifting Baselines Ocean Media Campaign (https://www.shiftingbaselines.org/), which produced short films and public service announcements. I was the Executive Producer for the documentary film Flock of Dodos: The Evolution-Intelligent Design (https://www.amazon.com/Flock-Dodos-Evolution-Intelligent-Design-Circus/dp/B000WQTQ52), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and aired on Showtime TV for two years. I also started the Death to Lionfish media campaign, which includes a Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/deathtolionfish/) and a public service announcement that received wide distribution, including local movie theaters in the Florida Keys.
I am a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. I was the Recording Secretary for the International Coral Reef Society. I served as a Board Member of the Coral Restoration Foundation (where I chaired the Science Advisory Committee) and the Ocean Conservancy.
I am not accepting new graduate students.
Education
1976 Brown University, BA Biology
1988 University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Ph.D. Botany
Contact information
smiller@nova.edu
smiller52@gmail.com
305-451-9030 cell
| Present | Research Scientist, Nova Southeastern University ‐ Halmos College of Arts and Sciences - Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences | |
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Disciplines
Research Interests
Honors and Awards
- Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Fellow, Explorer's Club
| B.A., Brown University | ||
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| Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Amherst | ||
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Links
Contact Information
(305) 451-9030
Email: