Miller Lab in 2026
I have recently retired from teaching at Florida State University. I am no longer taking graduate students. I plan to continue an active research program at FSU for several more years as I continue with old and new projects. Please contact me if you have questions about my research, especially if you need help with something or are interested in collaborations of any sort.
Overview
Most of my current research program is divided into two very different areas. (1) Coastal Dune Vegetation: I am interested in the forces that structure plant communities on barrier island, especially in the northern Gulf of Mexico. We have been using a long-term study of the vegetation on St. George Island to understand the relative importance of hurricanes, drought, geomorphology, and succession on determining patterns of individual species abundance and community diversity through time, with a particular interest in looking at restoration and climate change. (2) Evolution of Protozoa in Pitcher Plants: We have been using models and experiments to ask questions about how suites of competitors evolve though time. Because of their unique microhabitats and short generation times, protozoa found in the water-filled leaves of pitcher plants are an ideal system to conduct selection experiments, looking at how competing species evolve and, ultimately, how diversity itself affects the evolution in multi-species assemblages.