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Hello world! It’s Doc Scott.

I am a scientist, educator, and traveler.  I investigate environmental issues from the Great Lakes to faraway places around the world.  My work helps to inform policy decisions and restoration projects, as well as educate people about the importance of protecting Earth’s fresh water supplies.

For the past decade, I have worked for Ohio Sea Grant, a unit of The Ohio State University focused on helping communities sustainably manage water resources.  It’s a great gig, and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such an important cause.  This is something I have been training for since I was a teenager.  I hold a B.S. degree in Environmental Geography from Ohio University, an M.P.S. in Natural Resources from Cornell University, and a PhD in Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University.  I also served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras, a Fulbright Specialist in Chile, and Chair of the Environmental Studies Department at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD.  More recently, I spent two years as Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Adjunct Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, before returning to my research and educational interests with Ohio Sea Grant.  When not working I enjoy hiking, fishing, and exploring the great outdoors with family and friends.  I also love live music and have even been known to strum a song or two around the campfire.  I live in northeast Ohio with my family, not far from the Lake Erie coast.

Come along with me on an adventure to explore the importance of accessible clean water and what society is doing to protect it.

Map of Chile, South America

In 2023 I was honored to serve as a U.S. Fulbright Specialist in the city of Copiapó, in the northern Atacama region of Chile, South America.  The Fulbright Specialist Program is a unique opportunity for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in two- to six-week, project-based exchanges at host institutions across the globe.  The goal of Fulbright Specialists is to share their expertise, strengthen institutional linkages, and learn about other cultures while building capacity at their overseas host institutions.  The Program is administered by World Learning and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.

Copiapo, Chile

While in Chile, I helped address water scarcity in the northern Atacama Desert by collaborating with local experts, researchers and government agencies who are working towards the reduction of freshwater consumption through reuse, recycle and optimal design of water treatment systems.  I spent most of my time partnering with faculty at the Universidad De Atacama (UDA) and community representatives from the cities of Vallenar and Copiapó.  It was demanding and rewarding, and I was eager for the opportunity to contribute.

Public lecture

I also gave a series of public and university lectures on sustainable water management, led conservation-minded workshops and focus groups, and spent time meeting with experts and talking to community groups.

Focus group

Topics included: green infrastructure for water treatment and reuse; collaborative watershed management; integration of water management systems; and steps needed to establish a water research group at the Universidad de Atacama.

Olive oil tasting with my new friends from UDA, Sede Vallenar

In addition to the successful termination of water scarcity in the Atacama region, this Fulbright project aimed to develop a long-term collaboration between the U.S. and Chile for the betterment of academic curriculum development, joint project development and the establishment of research partnerships.  I hope to invite several of my colleagues from UDA to visit The Ohio State University and Stone Laboratory to extend the cross-cultural exchange.

Agricultural production in the Huasco Valley

Agricultural production in the Huasco Valley is much like agriculture throughout the region – it’s all about water.  Pisco grapes and olives are the most abundant crops grown, and both are relatively water intensive.  All irrigation is supplied by groundwater in aquifers and from glacial melt from the high Andes Mountains that straddle the border of Chile and Argentina.  Water is captured and stored in the Santa Juana Dam and released as necessary to provide for down-stream use.

Pisco grapes growing in the Huasco Valley

Below the dam, precious water is used to irrigate the many fields of Pisco grapes and green and black olives.  Just up the valley in the town of Alto de Carmen, some of the highest quality Pisco grapes on Earth are grown…  at least according to locals.

Bahia Inglesa

At the bottom of the watershed the Huasco River dumps into the Pacific Ocean just south of Bahia Inglesa and Playa de Virgin, two of the most stunning tourist beaches in all of Chile.  Maintaining clean water is key to the tourist industry.

Workshop at UDA, Sede Vallenar

Part of my work in the Huasco Valley involved meeting with faculty and students at UDA, Sede Vallenar and community stakeholders representing agriculture, government and academia in the watershed.  I had the opportunity to discuss some of the strategies we use in Cleveland, Ohio for restoring and protecting the Cuyahoga River basin, and learn about similar approaches for the Huasco River in Chile.  Together, we were able to share successes and challenges of river management and collaborate on the development of ideas to help foster sustainable water management along both rivers into the future.  The local newspaper even wrote a story on the workshop!

Somewhere on a desert highway

The Atacama Desert in northern Chile stretches almost 1000 mi between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific coast of South America.  It is commonly known as the driest place on Earth.  The average rainfall is a modest .5 inches per year, although some years the region does not see any rain at all.

Caldera, Chile, Atacama region

Local officials are partnering with academia, industry and government to help establish water conservation measures and identify new and innovative ways to provide water to the residents who live there.  One emerging solution is desalinization of ocean water.  Desalination is a process that takes mineral components, such as salt, out of saline water to make it suitable for human consumption or irrigation.  I had the opportunity to visit the Nueva Atacama desalinization plant in Caldera, Chile, along the coast.  It was fascinating to learn about the process.

Inside the Nueva Atacama desalinization plant

With climate change making an already dry environment even drier, officials are trying to ensure equitable access to fresh water throughout the region.  The Nueva Atacama project promises to supply drinking water to areas that are already overusing natural aquifers for self-sufficiency.  It represents a large investment and reinforces the notion that water is life.

Nueva Atacama desalinization plant

The seawater desalination process works through reverse osmosis, in which a semi-permeable membrane is used to remove ions, molecules and larger particles to create freshwater.  Seawater is pumped to the desalination plant, purified, then pumped by booster stations throughout the region.  The leftover concentrated saltwater is pumped back into the Pacific Ocean.  When operating at full capacity, the desalination plant can purify over 150 liters per second.  How does the water taste???

Sunset over La Vicuna, Chile

Due to the extremely arid climate, northern Chile is a star gazer’s dream come true.  There are both scientific (used by professional astronomers) and tourist observatories scattered across the Andes Mountains from just north of the capital Santiago, all the way to the northern border with Bolivia and Peru.  I had the chance to visit the Mamalluca Observatory, outside of the city of Vicuna.  I have never seen so many stars in my life!  The Milky Way galaxy was even visible.

Milky Way Galaxy

Port city of Valparaiso

In addition to breathtaking night skies, Chile is home to numerous eclectic cities, a cutting-edge art scene, historic churches, and amazing food.

Valparaiso

The port city of Valparaiso is a living museum, covered with street art and dotted with quaint shops and restaurants.  Valparaiso is only about 1.5 hours drive through vineyards and plantations from the capital.  The colorful houses appear to fall down steep hills towards the sea.  There are funiculars (cable cars) that carry visitors up and down the steep hill sides.

Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago de Chile

Chile is predominantly a Catholic society.  There is no more beautiful church in the country than the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago de Chile.

The Andes Mountains overlooking Santiago, Chile

Santiago is a beautiful modern city, with diverse neighborhoods and a youthful urban buzz.  And…  you can see the Andes mountains looming in the background!

Completos

Completo

Everyone asks me about the food.  How was the food in Chile?  What did you eat?  What did you drink?  The answers to these questions are as diverse as the choices available.  Santiago is a foodie haven, with a bustling Barrio Italiano, upscale dining scene, and street vendors selling all sorts of things.  None of which are more common than “completos.”  I had read about them prior to my visit, and admittedly, was a bit hesitant.  Completos are hotdogs, served in oversized, toasted buns, with avocado, mayonnaise and ketchup on them.  I know, sounds scary.  But they are sooooo good!

King Crab

There was also a ton of fresh seafood.  Chile has around 4000 miles of coastline along the Pacific Ocean, and Chileans love eating from the sea.  One of the most impressive dishes we ordered while there was a South Pacific Spiny King Crab.  In addition to being the biggest crab I have ever seen, it might have been the tastiest.

Reinata fish

The most common fish to order at restaurants is Reinata.  It is a light, flaky white fish that lives close to shore.  To someone from Cleveland, it tastes like a Walleye!

Traditional meal

Of course, there is plenty of meat and potatoes.  Unlike the U.S., there are a plethora of different types of potatoes to choose from in Chile.  There is also an abundance of cattle, thus beef is a popular food staple.  Everything I tasted was fresh and delicious.  Even those mint-ginger lemonades.