Scott is a vertebrate palaeoecologist, passionate science communicator, exhibitor, expert in 3-D digitisation using multimodal scanning technologies, and a thought leader in palaeotourism. 30 years in palaeontology began with his first paper aged 16, at the time Australia’s youngest scientific author. Scott’s life perspective formulated from different experiences: a unique childhood in the Northern Territory,  a teenage museum volunteer, an exhibition guide & discovery centre officer, curator, research scientist, exhibition creative and 3D technologist. Scott’s research focuses on Gondwanan and Sahulian palaeoecology with a particular interest in the geobiological evolution of Queensland’s coastal basins (e.g. Fitzroy River, Burdekin and Burnett basins), arid interior and threatened environments. 

Realising that most museum collections are hidden from public view and centralised in major cities, Scott has spent decades pursuing better connections between museums, tourism, education, traditional owners and regional communities. He is passionate about decentralised custodianship and activation of fossil and geoheritage collections through multidisciplinary research and non-traditional interpretation techniques, all via regional community-led enterprise.  

Collaborations have blossomed into regional museum attractions, tours and digital engagement, while others are formative. Scott and his collaborators apply new technologies to natural history questions, enabling a pipeline from research outputs to attractions. He is currently working on new 3-D digital and virtual ways to undertake objective research through to gamified exhibition design. Building depth to his work is his “dig to phygital” concept that uses fossils, natural history and geoheritage as an avenue for entertainment, at any level, utimately leading to a better understanding, appreciation of our shared heritage and shared identity. 

Recognition & Highlights:  

2002 Young Australian of the Year 

2023 Creative Direction and Lead Curator – Dinosaurs Unearthed: Explore Prehistoric Queensland, a flagship museum exhibition 

2020 AAP Dorothy Hill Award  

2015 Queensland’s 50 Top Thinkers / Rising Stars of Queensland Science 

2002 Young Queenslander of the Year / National & Queensland Career Achiever / Queensland Science & Technology Achiever  

1994 Youngest scientific author 

2009 Queensland’s 50 Best and Brightest / Riversleigh Medal Riversleigh Society  

2003 Centenary Medalist / 2003 Finalist Eureka Awards  

2005 Neville Stephens Medal GSA 

2007 Finalist, Eve Powell Award  

2008 Australia 2020 Summiteer 

Photo Credit: Rochelle Lawrence (c) Eromanga Natural History Museum.