AFRL has new chief scientist

  • Published
  • By Kevin Gaddie
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Dr. Mikel Miller was recently promoted to chief scientist and senior technologist for the Air Force Research Lab Munitions Directorate.

"My fundamental role is to develop our science and technology portfolio for Air Force munitions," said Dr. Miller, the second person to serve as Munitions Directorate chief scientist since AFRL opened its doors in 1997. He is the fifth person to be selected as senior technologist.

"It was very exciting to get this promotion," he said. "It was a dream of mine to become a chief scientist in the research lab, so I was quite excited when I got the phone call saying I got the job. I'm excited about this position because I think we're at a time where it's very important that our next generation of munitions, are given the attention and focus that is required by the Air Force."

Many of today's weapons systems employ legacy munitions, said Dr. Miller, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who served for 30 years on active duty. In his new position, he will help lead the AFRL Munitions Directorate to the next generation of munitions systems.

Dr. Miller entered his new job with three goals in mind.

"First and foremost is the development of our people," he said. "I've been here for three years, so I have some background in the organization, and overall I'm very impressed with the quality of our people."

Approximately 17 percent of AFRL's scientists have doctorate degrees, according to Dr. Miller. He plans to boost that number to 30 to 35 percent, by hiring new scientists and through internal academic growth.

His second organizational goal is to have a robust scientific and technology portfolio, balanced with maintaining a solid infrastructure.

"One of the challenges we face here is the operating budget, just to maintain the facilities, he said. "When you start talking explosives and the materials involved, a large part of our budget goes toward infrastructure. So we are very focused on developing partnerships and collaborations with other Department of Defense agencies."

The third goal is growing AFRL's future workforce through educational partnerships. To accomplish that, Dr. Miller is focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, a compilation of academic and professional disciplines applied to the development of children from kindergarten through high school. He has been involved with STEM since he was an Air Force officer.

"I have a passion for the next generation's scientists and engineers that are either going to come into the Air Force Research Lab or join the Department of Defense in some other form, or industry," said the father of five with two children currently in the Air Force. "I'm very passionate about how we get our young people interested and excited about STEM.

Currently, about six percent of high school graduates are choosing technical STEM fields when they graduate, according to Dr. Miller.

"So, if you were to look historically at where our country is, when it comes to science and technology, and where we used to clearly be the leaders in the world, the U.S. is in decline and we see competitors from other nations - India, China, and a lot of the Asian Rim countries, exceeding their capabilities," he continued. "We have got to get attention to this."

Having a variety of military bases and colleges in the Panhandle area provides a great opportunity for a focus on STEM in this region and in this part of the country, Dr. Miller said. In addition to STEM, AFRL has been involved with the Mini-Urban Challenge, at a high school level, and Engineers For America.

Dr. Miller said he is glad that his family has stood behind him through both his military and civilian careers. "I just feel very blessed and I'm very thankful for a family that has been very supportive through everything. This is an exciting time."