Jesse Aron Scott, Ph.D.
Adjunct Instructor
Education
Ph.D. (2024) and M.S. (2020) in Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida, specializing in ecological restoration. He also earned graduate certificates in Natural Resources Policy and Administration (2020) and Forest Health and Resilience (2021). His undergraduate degrees in Sustainability Management (2016) and Environmental Science (2009) are from St. Petersburg College.
Research Interests
Dr. Scott brings a multidisciplinary approach to teaching, drawing on his expertise
in geospatial sciences, hydrology, forest ecology, and emergency management. His research
focuses on improving function-based assessment methods for stream restoration, with
a focus on expanding the Minnesota and Wisconsin Stream Quantification Tool (SQT).
His work on large woody debris (LWD) methodologies supports ecological restoration
efforts by integrating hydrological, geomorphological, and biological parameters to
evaluate restoration success. Dr. Scott has previously taught K-12 grade levels, including
three years teaching 4th-to-8th grade, and high-school AP Environmental Science.
At Saint Louis University, Dr. Scott teaches courses in geospatial analysis and emergency
response planning. He emphasizes applied learning, guiding students through real-world
case studies and hands-on GIS applications relevant to emergency planning, decision-making,
and disaster response.
Honors and Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award – Awarded by U.S. President Joe Biden in April 2024 exceptional contributions to public service.
Captain Niels P. Thomsen Innovation Award – Recipient of the U.S. Coast Guard’s highest innovation award in 2023 for advancements in GIS applications for emergency management.
Presidential Volunteer Service Award (Gold) – 2015
Eighth U.S. Coast Guard District Emergency Manager of the Year – 2022, 2023
Commendation Medal (1) and Achievement Medals (Army [2], USCG [1]) – 2018, 2020, 2021, 2024
Coast Guard Commandant’s Letter of Commendation - 2024
Humanitarian Service Medals (Army [1], U.S. Coast Guard [1]), Special Operations Medals (2)
Professional Organizations and Associations
Dr. Scott is currently a Supervisory Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and has over two decades of leadership experience in federal service and the military. He previously served as an Emergency Manager and Geospatial Supervisor with the U.S. Coast Guard, where he trained personnel in GIS-based contingency planning and disaster response mapping. His work integrates spatial analysis with ecological and emergency management strategies to enhance situational awareness and resource coordination.
Community Work and Service
Dr. Scott is committed to ecological research and conservation. He actively participates in the Isle Royale National Park Wolf-Moose Study, the longest-running predator-prey study in the world, conducted in collaboration with Michigan Technological University. His involvement supports long-term research on ecosystem dynamics and wildlife management in remote wilderness settings.