As chief science and innovation officer at the National Geographic Society, Ian Miller oversees the Society’s scientific and conservation functions to ensure that science and conservation continue to be foundational to the organization’s programs for impact and illumination.

Before joining the Society, Miller spent 15 years at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, most recently serving as the director of Earth and space sciences. During this time, he studied fossil plants, paleoclimate, paleoecology and tectonics, and co-led the Snowmastodon Project, which provided a new benchmark for understanding climate change in the American West.

Throughout his academic career, Miller has worked on all seven continents and has been a lead scientist on major field expeditions in Madagascar and much of the western United States. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed scientific articles and books on paleobiology and geology.

He continues to collaborate on research projects focused on the recovery of life following Earth’s last mass extinction.

Beyond his work as a scientist, Miller has led museum initiatives aimed at deepening people’s connection with the natural world and unearthing major trends in new and existing audiences that are defining the future of museums.

Miller received his Ph.D. and master’s degree in geology and paleobotany from Yale University, and a B.A. in geology from Colorado College.