Scott is the Head of Department Engineering in the School of Engineering and Built Environment at Glasgow Caledonian University. He has over 25 years of experience in research and development of optoelectronics and sensor systems with applications in communications, asset management and environmental monitoring. 

Current research interests include the development of Instrumentation and sensor systems with a specific interest development of photonic sensors based on metamaterials and the condition monitoring of energy assets. He is the lead investigator for a number of research grants to develop instrumentation and sensors and has attracted over £2.5 million of industrial funding over the past five years. He has published over 110 journal and conferences articles and is co-inventor on 6 patents.  Prior to joining Glasgow Caledonian University he was the Process Development manager at Alcatel Optronics Ltd (formerly Kymata Ltd) where he was responsible for the development and qualification of novel optical components for advanced optical telecommunication systems. He has previously worked as a Lecturer at Cardiff University