Dr. Miller's broad professional interests are marriage and family relationships, but his research has emphasized adolescent sexual behavior and pregnancy, especially as these relate to family contexts and processes. He recently began studying issues related to the adjustment of adopted children and adolescents. Usually publishing with colleagues, he is the author of several books and over 100 journal articles and book chapters, and has received several major research grants from federal agencies.

He earned a B.S. degree in psychology at Weber State University, and an M.S. degree in Family Relations at Utah State University. He earned a Ph.D. in Family Sociology at University of Minnesota prior to becoming a faculty member at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. After joining the faculty at Utah State University, he took sabbatic research leaves at Battelle Human Affairs Research Centers in Seattle, and at the Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Bethesda, MD.

Dr. Miller has consulted with or served on scientific review sections for a variety of federal agencies, principally the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control. He is chair of the Effective Programs and Research Task Force of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. He has been professionally involved in the American Sociological Association, the Population Association of America, and the Society for Research on Adolescence. His most active professional affiliation has been with the National Council on Family Relations, where he was elected the NCFR Publications Vice President, the Program Vice President, and the NCFR President.

Dr. Miller received the Utah State University Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award in 2000, and became a Fellow of the National Council on Family Relations in 2001. He was appointed Vice President for Research and Director of Federal Relations at Utah State University on October 1, 2001. He previously had been Interim Vice President for Research, and Head of the Department of Family and Human Development at USU.