Scott Hotaling

Scott Hotaling is an Assistant Professor at Utah State University's Watershed Sciences department, specializing in climate resiliency. His work bridges global change biology, natural resource management, and genomic adaptation in alpine ecosystems.

• Climate adaptation strategies
• Mountain biodiversity conservation
• Water security research
• Genomic insights into aquatic insects

Research Focus

Hotaling investigates climate change impacts on glacial ecosystems, evolutionary genomics of cold-adapted species, and policy-driven solutions for environmental resilience. His studies span topics like snow algae dynamics, stonefly genetics, and rock glacier hydrology.

Scientific Recognition

• Innovator of the Year, 2024 – USU Office of Sustainability

He leads the Climate Adaptation Intern Program (2023–ongoing) and Mountain Futures (2023–ongoing), while contributing to Utah’s climate outreach (2022–ongoing). His lab also produces multimedia content on glacier ecology and mountain stream systems.