Anne-Frances Miller named 2022-23 College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor

Anne-Frances Miller, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Kentucky, has been named the 2022-23 College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor and will deliver the annual Distinguished Professor Lecture this spring.

The college annually bestows this honor to one faculty member, on the basis of three criteria: outstanding research, unusually effective teaching and distinguished professional service.

Miller has established herself as an outstanding professor, an insightful biochemist and a leader in her field of research.

Her internationally recognized work investigates energy efficiency in sophisticated biological systems as well as mechanisms they use for optimizing the storage of intermittent energy and deploying it with maximum versatility. This is monumental and uniquely timely research as societies shift toward more renewable energy sources.

With over 100 peer-reviewed publications, Miller’s work has been published in a variety of scientific journals including the Journal of American Chemical Society, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Chemical Reviews. She was also invited to chair the Gordon Research Conference in her field and has won prizes such as the Biophysical Society Young Investigator Award and the 2021 Herty Medal from the Georgia Section of the American Chemical Society.

As a professor at UK, Miller has taken a leadership role in her department, developing new and exciting courses that make chemistry accessible to a broad range of students. For example, she re-invented a long-standing molecular biophysics course to enhance student quantitative thinking. She has also sought to make science more accessible to artists through the development of courses such as “Plant Pigments, Fragrances, and Fibers.”

In the community, Miller recently completed her term as chair of the American Chemical Society’s division of biological chemistry. Her time is also spent regularly working with local school boards, science centers and organizations such as the Girl Scouts to increase understanding and interest in science. 

“It is my immense honor to recognize Dr. Anne-Frances Miller as the 2022-2023 A&S Distinguished Professor," said Ana Franco-Watkins, dean of the UK College of Arts and Sciences. "Professor Miller is a renowned, innovative researcher with outstanding accomplishments in biochemistry. Her research positively impacts our planet and world. She is also a dedicated and engaged teacher by providing modernized class offerings to elevate our student learning and experiences. Her service to her profession as well as outreach in community is commendable. We are fortunate to have Dr. Miller as a valued member of our A&S family and UK community.”

Miller will deliver the Distinguished Professor Lecture in Spring 2023. More details will be released at a later date.