News Release

NC chemist Roger Miller
elected to UK’s Royal Society

CHAPEL HILL -- Dr. Roger E. Miller, John B. Carroll professor of chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been elected Fellow of the Royal Society in the United Kingdom. He and 43 other eminent scientists from the UK and the Commonwealth will join the honorary organization, which is the UK's national academy of science.

Founded in 1660, the Royal Society is the world's oldest scientific academy. Previous and current fellows have included Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking.

According to society literature, "Election to the fellowship is considered one of the highest accolades a scientist can receive worldwide and ranks in recognition only next to the Nobel Prize." Fellows are elected for their contributions to basic science as well as leading and directing scientific and technological progress in industry and research organizations.

Miller, a member of the UNC College of Arts and Sciences, was born in Canada and lived in Australia before joining UNC in 1985. He has distinguished himself as a physical chemist, specializing in laser spectroscopy.

As part of his work, he "developed unique instruments with which he substantially improved our understanding of intermolecular forces, hydrogen bonding, combustion and global energy balance," said Dr. Holden Thorp, professor and chair-elect of UNC’s chemistry department.

Among Miller’s projects that have attracted public attention was succeeding five years ago in artificially creating the world's smallest pieces of ice. The ice fragments he and then chemistry doctoral student Klaas Nauta made consisted of only six molecules of water in flat hexagonal rings, just as ice exists in nature.

Their unusual achievement has resulted in greater insights into the nature of water, that unique and fascinating substance upon which all life depends. His current research group continues to develop new methods for studying systems that are important in atmospheric chemistry, combustion, biochemistry and nanoscience.

The scientist said he was honored by his election to Fellow of the Royal Society and wished to acknowledge the contributions of his present and former graduate and postdoctoral students that made it possible.

UNC’s Dr. Oliver Smithies, Excellence professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the UNC School of Medicine, also is a member of the scientific society.

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Note: Miller can be reached at (919) 962-0528.

Arts and Sciences contact: Dee Reid, 843-6339

News Services contact: David Williamson, (919) 962-8596