Meet Dr. Scott Hotaling
Dr. Scott Hotaling is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University (USU).
He leads the USU Climate Change in Mountains Lab where he explores how mountain ecosystems in the western U.S. and elsewhere are impacted by a changing climate. In the Southwest, he is studying mountain water resources and biodiversity with an emphasis on rock glaciers – large masses of debris-covered ice that flow downhill. Hotaling is also USU’s Climate Resiliency Extension Specialist and in this role, he created and leads the Climate Adaptation Intern Program to inform climate adaptation planning in the region and support a next-generation workforce of climate leaders.
Hotaling is a keen science communicator. He runs the Mountain Futures YouTube Channel with his team at USU (they are going to have a pizza party when it reaches 1000 subscribers!). The channel explores mountain research topics in the western United States and provides a behind-the-scenes perspective into day-to-day life as a mountain scientist. Video topics range from glacier recession to mountain wildlife (ice worms! wolverines!) and more! Hotaling was named Innovator of the Year for 2024 by the USU Office of Sustainability. Learn about Dr. Hotaling and his research on the USU Climate Change in Mountains website.
Dr. Hotaling is a principal investigator (PI) for the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center's (SW CASC) Phase 3 Team.
Find more of Dr. Hotaling's work:
- YouTube: Watch Dr. Hotaling talk about his favorite subject—rock glaciers!
- Instagram: Follow his lab (@mountain_futures) and intern program (@usu_climate)
Meet the people behind the science! This profile is part of the "Principal Investigator (PI) Profiles" series for the SW CASC's Phase 3 Team.
The Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (SW CASC) is a federal-university partnership with the USGS and seven academic institutions across the southwest.