David Miller

I love maps and looking at the earth from above. My research interests include urban ecology, interactions between plants and droughts, ecosystem productivity, and broadly examining how terrestrial ecosystems are changing over time using satellite remote sensing imagery. My work in the Katz Lab at Cornell SIPS is focused at the interface of urban ecosystems and public health, where I am mapping urban trees in New York City using remote sensing data from satellites and airborne lidar, with the goal of reducing heat exposure and helping to keep people out of the hospital during heat waves. I am interested in exploring additional applied research to expand the scope of my science background, with the goal of being able to make meaningful recommendations to plan for a changing climate. In my free time, you may likely find me jauntily running around Ithaca, listening to lots of music, and exploring new places to eat. 

Publications

• Miller, D.L., Wolf, S., Fisher, J.B., Zaitchik, B.F., Xiao, J., Keenan, T.F. (2023). Increased photosynthesis during spring drought in energy-limited ecosystems. Nature Communications 14, 7828. 
• Miller, D.L., Wetherley, E.B., Roberts, D.A., Tague, C.L., McFadden, J.P. (2022). Vegetation cover change during a multi-year drought in Los Angeles. Urban Climate 43, 101157.
• Osman, M., Zaitchik, B.F., Badr, H.S., Otkin, J., Zhong, Y., Lorenz, D., Anderson, M., Keenan, T.F., Miller, D.L., Hain, C., Holmes, T. (2022). Diagnostic Classification of Flash Drought Events Reveals Distinct Classes of Forcings and Impacts. Journal of Hydrometeorology 23, 275–289. 
• Miller, D.L., Alonzo, M., Meerdink, S.K., Allen, M.A., Tague, C.L., Roberts, D.A., McFadden, J.P. (2022). Seasonal and interannual drought responses of vegetation in a California urbanized area measured using complementary remote sensing indices. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 183, 178–195. 
• Miller, D.L., Alonzo, M., Roberts, D.A., Tague, C.L., McFadden, J.P. (2020). Drought response of urban trees and turfgrass using airborne imaging spectroscopy. Remote Sensing of Environment 240, 111646. 
• Miller, D.L., Roberts, D.A., Clarke, K.C., Lin, Y., Menzer, O., Peters, E.B., McFadden, J.P. (2018). Gross primary productivity of a large metropolitan region in midsummer using high spatial resolution satellite imagery. Urban Ecosystems 21, 831–850. 
•  Kennedy, R.E., Ohmann, J., Gregory, M., Roberts, H., Yang, Z., Bell, D.M., Kane, V., Hughes, M.J., Cohen, W.B., Powell, S., Neeti, N., Larrue, T., Hooper, S., Kane, J., Miller, D.L., Perkins, J., Braaten, J., Seidl, R. (2018). An empirical, integrated forest biomass monitoring system. Environmental Research Letters 13, 025004. 
• Melaas, E.K., Wang, J.A., Miller, D.L., Friedl, M.A. (2016). Interactions between urban vegetation and surface urban heat islands: a case study in the Boston metropolitan region. Environmental Research Letters 11, 054020.