Mike Miller

Mike Miller is a Professor and Dean of Undergraduate Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), within the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences. He holds a BA from San Francisco State University (1994) and a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from Dartmouth College (1998). Since 2002, he has been a faculty member at UCSB, previously serving as an Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston (1999–2002). His research focuses on the neural and psychological mechanisms of human memory, decision-making, and individual differences, employing techniques like fMRI, EEG, TMS, split-brain studies, and signal detection analysis. He is Vice Director of the Sage Center for the Study of the Mind and Editor of The Year in Cognitive Neuroscience.

Key research themes include criterion shifting in recognition memory, parietal lobe contributions to memory, and the implications of split-brain studies for understanding hemispheric function. His work emphasizes individual variability in neural activity patterns, aiming to understand how these relate to cognitive processes. Notable contributions include critiques of fMRI methodology regarding statistical reliability and sample size requirements.

Dr. Miller has mentored numerous graduate students and postdocs, many of whom hold academic or industry positions. His lab has presented at major conferences such as the Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS), Society for Neuroscience (SfN), and Psychonomic Society. He has also contributed to public science through media appearances, including a featured segment on PBS NOVA's 50th-anniversary episode.

Scientific awards include the Achievement Award for College Scientists during his doctoral training. Current roles include leadership in interdisciplinary initiatives like the RADARS project (Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies) studying decision-making under stress. The Miller Lab's research is supported by grants and collaborations with institutions like Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the University of Virginia.