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Shelie Miller

shelie miller
Professor; Jonathan W. Bulkley Collegiate Professor of Sustainable Systems; Co-Director, Center for Sustainable Systems
Sustainable Systems
Climate + Energy
Food Systems
Cross-cutting
[email protected]
(734) 763-4572
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2504 Dana
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About

(she/her/hers)

Miller’s research uses life cycle assessment (LCA) and scenario modeling tools to identify potential unintended environmental consequences of emerging technologies and find design or policy interventions that may lead to sustainable outcomes. She is particularly interested in understanding how consumer behavior patterns can influence the environmental outcomes of products. Her work spans a variety of topics including the food-energy-water nexus, plastic packaging, food waste, refrigeration and air conditioning, the urban-rural sustainability divide, and e-commerce.

Publications

Miller SA, The capabilities and deficiencies of life cycle assessment to address the plastic problem, Frontiers in Sustainability, 2022, 3: 1007060. (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsus.2022.1007060/full)

Kan M, Miller SA. Environmental impacts of plastic packaging of food products, Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 2022, 180: 106156. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921344922000040)

Fetner H*, Miller SA, Environmental payback periods of reusable alternatives to single-use plastic kitchenware products, The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2021, 8: 1-17.

(https://www.springerprofessional.de/en/environmental-payback-periods-of-reusable-alternatives-to-single/19334396)

Dong Y, Coleman M, Miller SA. Greenhouse gas emissions from air conditioning and refrigeration service expansion in developing countries, Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 2021, 46: 59-83

(https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-environ-012220-034103)

Miller SA. Five misperceptions surrounding the environmental impacts of single-use plastic, Environmental Science & Technology, 2020, 54 (22): 14143-51 (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c05295)

Heard BR, Miller SA. Potential changes in greenhouse gas emissions from refrigerated supply chain introduction in a developing food system, Environmental Science & Technology, 2019, 53(1): 251-260.

(https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.8b05322)

Research
  • 2016 NSF UNS Program,  U.S.-China: Integrated Systems Modeling of Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus for Urban Sustainability, $499,990, PI: Ming Xu
  • 2011 NSF Environmental Sustainability Program, Developing a Spatially-Explicit Agent-Based Life Cycle Analysis Framework for Improving the Environmental Sustainability of Bioenergy Systems, $310,000, 9/1/2011-8/31/2014 PI: Ming Xu, University of Michigan
  • 2011 Argonne National Laboratory, Update Material Production Modules in GREET 2 Model, $100,000, 5/3/11-9/30/11, PI: Greg Keoleian, University of Michigan 
  • 2010 NSF Science Master's Program: Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure, $700,000 6/1/2010-5/31/2014, PI: Ronald Andrus, Clemson University
  • 2009 NSF CAREER Program, Creation of Predictive and Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment Tool; $403,000, 1/1/2009-12/31/2014, PI: Shelie Miller
  • 2009 NSF Environmental Sustainability Program, Workshop Proposal: Land Use and Geospatial Aspects of Life Cycle Assessment; $80,000 1/1/2009-12/31/2009; PI: Tom Seager, RIT
Accolades

Jefferson Science Fellow, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Kavli Frontiers Fellow, National Academy of Sciences

Education

PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago (Civil and Materials Engineering)

ME, Clarkson University (Civil and Environmental Engineering)

BS, Denison University (Chemistry)

Affiliations

Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee (2015-Present).

Steering Committee, Academic Engagement in Public and Political Discourse, University of Michigan, (2013-15).

Nominating Committee, International Society of Industrial Ecology (2011-14).

In the News
Catalyst Grant banner
April 17, 2025

Four of five Sustainability Catalyst Grants include SEAS faculty

Five research projects tackling key sustainability issues have received funding through the Sustainability Catalyst Grant program, and four of them include University of...

a small stream in a forest with text over it that reads 6 sustainability tips you can start using today
April 7, 2025

Six sustainability tips you can start using today

Earth Month gives us a great opportunity to pause and consider some of the little things we can do daily to continue to move toward a healthy future and planet. Here are...

Clothes drying on a line outside of an apartment building.
March 11, 2025

Clothes dryers and the bottom line: Switching to air drying can save hundreds

Contact: [email protected] Research from the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) investigated the costs and emissions associated with...

2025 cohort of Dow Sustainability Fellows named
January 21, 2025

2025 cohort of Dow Sustainability Fellows named

The Dow Sustainability Fellows program, which is administered by the Graham Sustainability Institute, will award over $800,000 in student funding this year. The 2025...

2023 Faculty group photo
November 7, 2024

Faculty News and Research

News and research highlights about SEAS faculty.

Depiction of a modern supermarket interior.
May 28, 2024

Improved refrigeration could save nearly half of the 1.3 billion tons of food wasted each year globally

Contact: [email protected] ANN ARBOR—About a third of the food produced globally each year goes to waste, while approximately 800 million people suffer from hunger...

Miller presents at A2 Climate Teach-In
May 23, 2023

Miller presents at A2 Climate Teach-In

University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) Professor Shelie Miller gave the closing presentation at the first-ever A2 Climate Teach-in held...

Team working to reduce energy burdens in Detroit recognized with Michigan Difference Student Leadership Award
April 20, 2023

Team working to reduce energy burdens in Detroit recognized with Michigan Difference Student Leadership Award

A team of doctoral students working to improve home energy efficiency and to lower monthly utility bills for low- and moderate-income (LMI) households in Detroit have...

In the Media
05/04/2025
Shelie Miller
New study reveals one simple way to slash your electric bill: 'How much could you save?' (The Cool Down)
04/21/2025
Shelie Miller
I tracked my trash for one week. Here’s what I swapped to cut out single-use plastic (CNN)
04/09/2025
Shelie Miller
Trump tariffs mean uncertain path forward for recycling (Detroit Free Press)
01/07/2025
Shelie Miller
Life cycle assessments loom large for the outcome of EPR programs (Packing Dive)
12/16/2024
Shelie Miller
University of Michigan to assess effectiveness of Michigan’s bottle deposit law (American Recycler)
11/07/2024
Shelie Miller
7 Tips to Save Money When Online Grocery Shopping (U.S. News & World Report)
10/22/2024
Shelie Miller
The Great Pouchification of American Food (Taste)
09/14/2024
Shelie Miller
How to Compost at Home (Consumer Reports)
09/11/2024
Shelie Miller
Is getting food delivered worse for the climate? Sometimes it’s better (NPR)
06/09/2024
Shelie Miller
Creating a throw-away culture: How companies ingrained plastics in modern life (NPR)
06/03/2024
Shelie Miller
U-M researchers find way to cut global food waste in half (WOOD-TV)
05/07/2024
Shelie Miller
EMA IMPACT Summit Speaker Highlight: Professor Shelie Miller
02/17/2024
Shelie Miller
Plastic bag bans have spread across the country. Sometimes they backfire. (USA Today)
02/01/2024
Shelie Miller
How many times do you need to use your reusable bags to make it count? What the experts say (The Augusta Chronicle)
01/17/2024
Shelie Miller
Issues of the Environment: Improving home and community sustainability efforts in Washtenaw County (WEMU)
11/05/2023
Shelie Miller
Plastic or paper? The truth about drinking straws (BBC)
05/04/2023
Shelie Miller
First-ever A2 Climate Teach-In builds on legacy of 1960s Vietnam War protests (MLive)
04/19/2023
Shelie Miller
14 sustainable products that can help you save money (CNN)
03/25/2023
Shelie Miller
Toothpaste tablets and syrup on tap: US refill shops cut the container (France 24)
03/18/2023
Shelie Miller
The Secret Behind Japan’s Delicious Strawberries: Kerosene (The New York Times)
02/26/2023
Shelie Miller
A greener way to cool grocery store fridges and freezers (CBC News)
02/21/2023
Shelie Miller
Why some single-use plastic water bottles could be banned in Hawaii (Popular Science)
01/29/2023
Shelie Miller
What On Earth with Laura Lynch: Sleuthing for greenhouse gases at grocery stores (CBC Listen)
01/29/2023
Shelie Miller
How supermarket freezers are heating the planet, and how they could change (CBC News)
01/23/2023
Shelie Miller
How companies greenwash their plastic pollution (Popular Science)
01/18/2023
Shelie Miller
Single-use coffee pods have surprising environmental benefits over other brewing methods (The Washington Post)
01/14/2023
Shelie Miller
How to Get Rid of Your Old Treadmill or Other Exercise Equipment (Consumer Reports)
12/06/2022
Shelie Miller
For a sweltering petrostate, a ‘carbon neutral’ World Cup is a challenge (The Washington Post)
11/25/2022
Shelie Miller
Outdoor Air Conditioning Cools the World Cup—but Is It Sustainable? (Scientific American)
10/26/2022
Shelie Miller
Crunch time as crisp makers adopt plastic-free packets (BBC News)
09/27/2022
Shelie Miller
Paper, plastic or tote: Doing the math on the environmental impacts of shopping bags (National Public Radio)
09/09/2022
Shelie Miller
Consumers are skeptical of buying recycled goods. Are they right? (Popular Science)
09/01/2022
Shelie Miller
Should we switch from petroleum ink to soy-based ink? (Popular Science)
09/01/2022
Shelie Miller
Why Do Some People in New Jersey Suddenly Have Bags and Bags of Bags? (The New York Times)
07/07/2022
Shelie Miller
How Air-Conditioning Creates a Climate Conundrum (Audubon)
07/03/2022
Shelie Miller
Hilliard company ADS is the nation's top plastics recycler
04/12/2022
Shelie Miller
Rethinking air conditioning amid climate change (Knowable Magazine)
03/04/2022
Shelie Miller
Can flying ever be green? With EasyJet CEO (BBC's The Big Money Show)
12/09/2021
Shelie Miller
How to Compost in Your Apartment (Consumer Reports)
11/23/2021
Shelie Miller
The Last Straw: Assessing Alternatives to Single-Use Plastics, with Shelie Miller (Resources Radio)
10/19/2021
Shelie Miller
Scrub Hub: Are meal kit services bad for the environment, compared to a grocery store? (Indianapolis Star)
09/28/2021
Shelie Miller
Reusable Packaging Is the Latest Eco-Friendly Trend. But Does It Actually Make a Difference? (Time)
09/08/2021
Shelie Miller
The Big Problem With Plastic (Consumer Reports)
07/16/2021
Shelie Miller
The truth about reusable kitchen essentials (Popular Science)
07/15/2021
Shelie Miller
Think reusable straws, wraps, and cups are always better for the environment? Think again. (Anthropocene Magazine)
06/17/2021
Shelie Miller
The truth about processed foods' environmental impact (BBC News)
06/14/2021
Shelie Miller
Out of gas? What green regulations could mean for classics (MSN)
04/27/2021
Shelie Miller
Survey finds consumers are concerned about waste from fast-food containers (Marketplace on NPR)
03/26/2021
Shelie Miller
Shelie Miller: Environmental Sustainability...and Roller Derby? (Michigan News)
10/29/2020
Shelie Miller
Reusable grocery bags aren’t as environmentally friendly as you might think (Popular Science)
07/24/2020
Shelie Miller
Is Microfiber Plastic? Here Are the Facts on Microfiber's Sustainability (Green Matters)
07/02/2020
Shelie Miller
US rivers and lakes are shrinking for a surprising reason: cows (The Guardian)
05/09/2020
Shelie Miller
Is Online Grocery Shopping Better for the Planet?
03/01/2020
Shelie Miller
Interview on C-SPAN's Washington Journal Primetime
07/01/2019
Shelie Miller
Issues Of The Environment: U-M Study Shows Delivered Meal Kits Are Greener Than Grocery Shopping
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