Welcome to the Website of Richard Miller
Educator | Engineer | Academic Innovator | Consultant
Richard Miller has dedicated his life to inspiring, consulting, advising and creating positive change in higher education.
Richard Miller has spent more than four decades at five institutions gaining insights and building experience in leading positive change in higher education. He was the first employee and President of Olin College of Engineering, an internationally acclaimed laboratory school established for the express purpose of creating a new paradigm in engineering education. He is also the co-founder of the Grand Challenge Scholars Program, an academic movement adopted internationally by nearly 100 universities to inspire young engineers to take the lead in addressing the Grand Challenges of the next century. He is the founder of the Coalition for Life-Transformative Education, a community of university leaders committed to raising the bar in higher education to focus on improving the outcomes for all college graduates long after they graduate. He reflects deeply on lessons learned, assembles exceptional thought partners, builds teams with diverse talents and views, and empowers others to create new learning models and institutions to address the global challenges of our age. He has helped launch entirely new academic institutions, national and international educational movements, and serves on many boards and advisory committees. And he’s not done. Motivated by a passion to better prepare higher education for the 21st century, Dr. Miller is continuing to seek out opportunities where his expertise and connections will make a positive difference in the world.
Previous Major Projects
Reinventing Engineering Education
Global Grand Challenges Scholars Program: Preparing Engineering Leaders for the Grand Challenges of the next 100 years.
There are now nearly 100 engineering schools around the world that are members of this growing movement, with the goal of inspiring the next generation to dedicate their lives to solving the Grand Challenges of the 21st century: global sustainability (climate change), health (pandemics), security (including cyber security and AI), and enhancing life as the population grows (diversity, inclusion, and social justice as resources become scarce).
Improving Long-term Outcomes for All of Higher Education
The Coalition for Life-Transformative Education is a community of university leaders who are committed to experimenting individually and collectively, sharing best practices, and collaborating to start a movement across America to ensure that all students who enroll in college not only complete a degree, but also have a transformative educational experience that enhances their well-being and work engagement throughout life. Richard conceived and founded this coalition in 2017 and continues to serve as the chair of the Steering Committee.
Future Engagements
Sharing Lessons Learned
Over the decades, as an engineering student, engineering consultant, faculty member, and leader with experience at seven different universities and several corporations, I have gained significant experience and learned many lessons that may be useful to others. These lessons range from the principles of effective engineering to the fundamental principles of effective undergraduate and graduate education, development of academic learning cultures, development of faculty and administrative cultures, development of governance cultures, establishment of collaborative relations with other institutions (including accreditation boards) and the media, revitalization of existing academic departments and institutions, and the establishment of entirely new academic institutions. Within the limitations of time and resources, I am pleased to share these lessons learned with others, through publications, recorded presentations, public lectures, live presentations, and brief consultations.
Advice and Guidance
For engagements that require building a relationship and involve more than a short encounter, my engagement on institutional advisory committees, oversight boards, design teams, assessment committees, and management committees may be of value. In such cases, an extended relationship may be needed which requires a sustained but low-level time commitment with another organization or institution. Again, I am generally enthusiastic about such engagements within the limitations of time and resources, when the alignment with my experience and priorities is high.