Megan Miller: Conducting Doctoral Research at NGA

2014 USGIF Scholarship Program recipient Megan Miller visited the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration building while conducting research for her Ph.D. dissertation.

2014 USGIF Scholarship Program recipient Megan Miller has always been interested in mathematics and analytics. After learning remote sensing and photogrammetry during her undergraduate studies and realizing its career opportunities, Miller knew it would be a good choice for her career path. Now, she is on her way toward achieving a Ph.D. in geomatics engineering at Purdue University.

While earning her master’s degree in geomatics engineering at Purdue, Miller won a 2014 USGIF Scholarship.

“I learned about USGIF from my mentor Nathan Ovans,” she said. “He proposed the scholarship as a way to get involved and have exposure in the GEOINT Community. The scholarship enabled me to attend the 2015 American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Conference, where I presented my research in one of the technical sessions.”

Miller spent this summer interning at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s (NGA) Basic and Applied Research Office. She said her experience at NGA contributed to her Ph.D. research dissertation. Miller is studying algorithms and methodology that would enable digital surface model generation from low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle imagery. The emphasis of her research is on maritime applications such as detection and safety of navigation.

Miller also attended USGIF’s GEOINT 2015 Symposium in June, which she said was a rewarding experience.

“I benefited greatly from the keynote speakers on the direction and momentum of the GEOINT Community,” Miller said. “The greatest benefit was from the interactions with peers and leaders who gave useful insight, and most importantly, vision for how to continue building an impactful skill set.”

Miller is expecting to earn her Ph.D. in May 2017. After graduating she hopes to become a fulltime member of the intelligence and defense community.

Photo Credit: Callison RTKL