Scott is a Program Scientist in the Climate Project at MIT and an Assistant Research Professor of Geography at George Washington University. He works with communities, NGOs, companies, government officials, and students to explore the metal demands of the clean energy transition and how they may affect society and the environment. He has active research projects in Latin America, the continental United States, and the Arctic and teaches courses on sustainability, climate change, mining, and development.
Scott's work has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Sloan Foundation, Inter-American Foundation, MIT Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS), and MIT Sloan Latin America Office (MSLAO). Previously, he led the Program on Mining and the Circular Economy at MIT's Environmental Solutions Initiative, where he also completed his postdoctoral associateship. He has also worked as a Program Associate at the Inter-American Dialogue and a resident tutor at Harvard University's Mather House. He has a Ph.D. and M.A. from the Graduate School of Geography at Clark University and a B.S.F.S. in Science, Technology, and International Affairs (STIA) from Georgetown University. He is based in Washington, DC, and enjoys playing and listening to music, cross-country skiing, running, backpacking, biking, and cooking with family and friends.