Scott is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences and Associate Dean (Undergraduate Programs) in the Faculty of Science at UNSW. Educated with undergraduate (BSc(Hons), 1988 in Applied Physical Geography) and postgraduate (PhD, 1996 in Palaeoecology, human impact and palaeoclimatology) degrees from UNSW, Scott is responsible for all academic matters relating to student recruitment, admissions and progression. Scott contributes to the teaching of GEOS1701 Environmental Systems and Processes, GEOS2711 Australian Climate and Vegetation and GEOS3761 Environmental Change. His research has a number of foci summarized by the question 'how can a better understanding of the past be applied to contemporary and future natural resource management?' In the recent past he has been investigating the history of bushfires to address the role of humans and climate.