Dr. Jon Miller

Biography

Jon Miller is the Douglas Richstone Collegiate Professor of Astronomy at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on cosmology, extragalactic and galactic phenomena, and extreme astrophysics, particularly the study of compact objects such as black holes and neutron stars. His work explores the fundamental properties of black holes, including how gas is accreted and ejected, and the implications of these processes on our understanding of general relativity. Miller's group utilizes data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory to investigate black hole spin and the mechanisms behind the jets and winds produced by these immense gravitational forces. They are also engaged in a large multi-wavelength survey through the Swift mission to detect new neutron stars, black holes, and supernova remnants in the Milky Way. Among his notable contributions is the proposal of a technique to measure the spin of stellar-mass black holes through the analysis of X-ray spectral line widths, a method that has been widely adopted in the field. Miller's academic credentials include a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, followed by a position as an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He has held leadership roles such as Chair of the Chandra X-ray Observatory User's Committee.

Research Interests

Experience