R. Bryan Miller (1940-1998) received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Washington and Lee University in 1962 and his doctorate from Rice University in 1967.
After a postdoctoral year at Columbia University with Professor Gilbert Stork, Professor Miller joined the UC Davis faculty in 1968, establishing a research program focused on organic chemistry and natural product synthesis. Professor Miller rapidly established a reputation as an imaginative researcher, a sterling teacher, and an extraordinary mentor to students at both the undergraduate and graduate level. He rose through the ranks to full professor, and served as chair of the Chemistry Department from 1985 to 1990. In this capacity, he oversaw a period during which the Department grew dramatically in numbers, diversity, and stature. His guidance and wisdom enabled a remarkable group of young scientists to successfully embark upon their careers. These individuals now make up a core of outstanding faculty upon which the Department continues to build.
In 1990-91, Professor Miller took a position as a visiting scientist in the Chemistry Division of the National Science Foundation, and from 1992 to 1995 he served as an NSF program officer. In this setting as well, his experience and advice were of enormous value to young chemistry faculty nationwide who were applying for grants to get their own research careers underway.
Upon his return to full-time service at Davis, Professor Miller was appointed chair of the Davis Division of the Academic Senate in 1997, in which capacity he worked closely with faculty and campus administrators on such major policy issues as time-to-degree enrollment planning, improvement of the undergraduate curriculum and support of faculty research needs. Professor Miller made a lasting impact on the University in this role as a knowledgeable, dedicated, and hard-working public servant.
At the end of his career, Professor Miller, an expert in synthetic organic chemistry, was pursuing cutting-edge research in environmental chemistry and remediation processes, and the design and synthesis of compounds with enhanced anti-cancer properties. He was truly the forerunner of the current thriving research efforts in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the Department. It is in a spirit of recognition of his achievements in research and teaching, and gratitude for his selfless service to the University and to the larger Chemistry community that we dedicate this annual symposium to the memory of Professor R. Bryan Miller.