Student Spotlight: John Miller

John Miller is a doctoral student in systems engineering with a mechanical and aerospace engineering focus from Miami, Florida. He earned a B.S. in electrical engineering and B.S. in computer engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a M.Eng. in systems engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology and now studies the design and production of small drones under the guidance of Cliff Whitcomb and Gregory Falco at Cornell.

What is your area of research and why is it important?

I am studying the design and production of small drones. As the U.S. looks towards mass production of drones for defense, I want to see how we can balance the scalability of production (being able to produce as much of one thing as possible) with the modularity of the drone (each product being customizable for the specific end-user’s needs).

What are the larger implications of this research?

Drones have been a major interest item across so many industries and fields. The last five years in particular have provided a massive number of lessons learned and best practices for the production and utilization of drones for defense purposes. My goal is that we are able to look at these lessons through a holistic and context-aware lens and apply them in a way that makes the most sense for what the U.S. needs, and not just assume that what worked in one region or use-case will be the best solution for our future challenges.

What branch of the military do you serve in?

I am an active-duty Air Force officer here on a fellowship.

How has your military background influenced your experience at Cornell?

The time management and organizational skills have already paid dividends in my ability to manage the ever-growing list of work that my program has for me. Additionally, coming from an inherently joint background, I am accustomed to looking at problems from a systems-level perspective, which directly translates to how we are being taught to solve problems within systems engineering.

What are your hobbies or interests outside of your research or scholarship?

Powerlifting, guitar, and I recently adopted a puppy!

Why did you choose Cornell to pursue your degree?

When I sat down with Dr. Falco and discussed the work his lab was doing, I instantly knew that I would be working toward the right problems with the right people.