G. David MIller

Profile Photo of G. David Miller

In Memoriam
Lecturer, founder and director of the UC Davis Global Fellowships in Agricultural Development
d. 2022

G. DAVID MILLER

Birth: 1941
Death: December 1, 2022, Davis, California

Education

  • B.A., Psychology, Brown University
  • M.S., Educational Psychology, Northeastern University
  • M.S.W., Community Economic Development, University of Michigan

Employment

  • Lecturer and Faculty Adviser, International Agricultural Development, UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences
  • Founder and Director, Research Innovations Fellowship in Agriculture (later Global Fellowships in Agricultural Development), UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
  • Professor Emeritus, Southern New Hampshire University
  • Deputy Vice President of Programs, Save the Children
  • Program Director, U.S. Agency for International Development
  • Peace Corps Volunteer and Program Director, Morocco, Afghanistan, and Tunisia
  • Research Fellow, Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University
  • Consultant, American University of Armenia

Honors, Awards, and Professional Societies

  • Board Member, several NGOs and educational institutions
  • Editorial Board Member, Point Reyes Light newspaper
  • Tenure Review Committee Member, American University of Beirut
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  • Founder, West Marin Review

Research Contributions and Impact

Miller’s career centered on international community economic development. He designed and implemented development projects across the Middle East, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. His work involved establishing savings groups among smallholder farmers in Cambodia to promote sustainable farming practices and enhance food security. In Lebanon, he created the first micro-credit program funded by USAID.

Publications and Scholarly Leadership

Miller wrote theoretical articles on development practice and contributed editorial oversight to scholarly and community publications. He established and directed the International Community Economic Development master’s program at Southern New Hampshire University in 1988.

Teaching and Mentorship

At UC Davis, Miller played a central role in the International Agricultural Development program, teaching courses, securing fellowships, and mentoring graduate students. Through the Global Fellowships in Agricultural Development, he trained and placed UC graduate scholars in international development projects worldwide.

Collaboration and Community

Miller collaborated widely, both within UC Davis and internationally, building programs in Cambodia, Vietnam, East Africa, Palestine, and Lebanon. He also partnered with students and faculty to implement community-based projects such as youth mural initiatives in the Middle East.

Legacy

Over the course of more than 50 years, Miller influenced international development practice, education, and policy. His work bridged the gap between scholarship and field application, leaving lasting contributions to global agricultural development and community economic empowerment.

References

For additional tributes, interviews, and biographies, see the following resources: