Despite what you may have read elsewhere on the web, Scott does NOT believe that the earth's magnetic field can (or did) reverse polarity in a few years, or that there is any geologic evidence supporting such a claim. Rather, Scott and colleague Jonathan Glen have a paper in Geophyscial Research Letters in which they suggest that, toward the end of a several thousand year long geomagnetic polarity reversal that occurred 15.2 million years ago, there was an episode of rapid (about a degree per week) magnetic field directional change in the western US.

Scott is an avid cyclist, a maker and flyer of maneuverable single-line kites (i.e., fighter kites), enjoys playing traditional tunes on the irish whistle, and is a long-time cloud enthusiast. He and his wife Margi Rusmore both find automobile commuting very irksome, which is why they live close to their work in Eagle Rock and commute in by bicycle whenever they can.