2008 Fellow

Presented to: Dr. Mikel M. Miller

Citation: For technical leadership in alternative navigation technologies, significant navigation educational activities, and visionary leadership within The Institute of Navigation.

Dr. Mikel Miller has over nineteen years of technical leadership in the navigation field, where he has demonstrated a record of sustained contributions in navigation technology, management, and teaching. Along the way, he has also made significant contributions to The Institute of Navigation. Starting in 1988, Dr. (then Captain, USAF) Miller was a program manager at the 6585th Test Group, Guidance Test Division (now the 746th Test Squadron--CIGTF). In 1990, he conducted some of the earliest-ever GPS anti-spoofing field testing, evaluating 12 different receivers from five vendors, and led the first sled test to verify the velocity accuracy of the RCVR-3A.

After receiving his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 1998, Dr. Miller stayed on as a faculty member until 2003 teaching over 15 guidance, navigation, and control courses. He has also taught 14 short courses to over 650 students in the past eight years. Following his time at AFIT, Dr. Miller joined the Sensors Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) as the technical director of the Reference Systems Branch. In 2008 he was promoted to technical director of the Advanced Guidance Division of the Munitions Directorate of AFRL.

Finally, Dr. Miller has been a true leader within The Institute of Navigation. He has published over 30 conference papers and journal articles, has served as program chair and general chair for ION conferences, is a past chair of the ION's Dayton Section, and served as the ION's Eastern Region Vice President, and is currently Executive Vice President. He was the driving force behind the ION Satellite Division-sponsored Robotic Lawnmower Competition. Dr. Miller was also a primary driver behind the ION undergraduate scholarship program. In addition to his ION activities, he also serves on the board of the Joint Services Data Exchange and has helped organize several military navigation conferences.

Dr. Miller's record of sustained contributions to the arts and sciences of navigation, combined with his significant contributions to the Institute, make him a worthy candidate for the designation of ION Fellow.