Scott J. Miller elected to National Academy of Sciences

Professor Scott J. Miller has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in recognition of his distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

The academy selected 120 new members and 26 international members during the NAS annual meeting on April 27. Election to membership in the academy is considered one of the highest honors that can be afforded to a U.S. scientist or engineer.

Miller is the Irénée du Pont Professor of Chemistry and a Yale faculty member since 2006. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His many honors include the Max Tishler Prize, the Yoshimasa Hirata Memorial Gold Medal, a National Institutes of Health MERIT award, a National Science Foundation Career award, and multiple awards from the American Chemical Society.

Miller’s research focuses on the selective synthesis of complex molecules. His lab employs cutting-edge technologies and innovative methods to discover new chemical transformations that enable the rapid synthesis of complex structures. As part of this work, Miller has taken a particular interest in the catalytic modification of natural products.

“Scott is a thoughtful and trusted figure in the sciences at Yale. I’m grateful for his leadership and I’m deeply gratified on his behalf,” said Jeffrey Brock, dean of science for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science. “Scott’s commitment to Yale and its enduring scientific excellence is an inspiration to me as a scientist and as a dean.”

Miller will be formally inducted as a member at next year’s NAS annual meeting. His membership brings the total number of active NAS members to 2,403.

NAS is a private, nonprofit institution established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863.