About Scott
Scott Hotaling is an associate professor and climate resilience specialist at Utah State University. He received his PhD from the University of Kentucky, where he used genomic tools to study aquatic insect biodiversity in glacier-fed streams of Glacier National Park, Montana. He then completed a multi-year postdoctoral position at Washington State University, where he continued his high-mountain research and also investigated the genome biology of polar fishes in the Arctic and Antarctic.
Scott leads a research group that studies how climate change is impacting high mountain ecosystems, with a focus on the cryosphere—Earth’s frozen waters. His team investigates unique organisms like aquatic insects in glacier meltwater and ice worms living in glacier ice, using tools such as long-term monitoring, genomics, and physiology to understand biodiversity in these vulnerable habitats. Beyond research, Scott is dedicated to community engagement, working with local partners, stakeholders, and the public to strengthen climate resiliency across Utah and the Intermountain West through public talks, scientific advising, and community science training.
Can you provide an overview of your research and what first sparked your interest in alpine and mountain ecosystems?
I grew up in the "mountains" of North Carolina. I put that in air quotes because my home Appalachian Mountains are small relative to the western U.S., but, still, they started my passion for mountain systems. Then, in 2009, I worked as a climbing ranger in Mount Rainier National Park. I spent the summer walking around on glaciers, literally embedded in the alpine landscape. That really kicked my interest into overdrive and showed me that there was plenty of opportunity for research and contribution to the future of these places.
What are some of the most pressing threats to mountain biodiversity due to climate change?
The big threat is the rate of change. Mountains are changing fast. Even by the standards of human lifetimes. The fact that we can see the changes in real-time means that they are far faster than anything that species have ever experienced. But, beyond the rate, the loss of mountain snow and ice is a big one. Our snowpack is declining, glaciers are receding, etc. There's just less ice and, by proxy, less water and cold conditions than there used to be.
What is the foremost thing you would recommend our audience do to help mitigate those threats?
Changes in our mountains are reflections of us and our activities. Like the rest of the world, carbon emissions are the primary driver of change in mountain systems. More carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere means more warming. And more warming means less snow and ice. Anything that leads to a reduction in our carbon footprints, or how communities/societies will help our mountains.
As a Climate Resiliency Specialist, what are some examples of how you collaborate with local communities to bolster climate resilience in Utah?
I'm still in the early days of this role, so I'm still learning the Utah landscape and getting to know community partners. But, one very successful initiative that we've launched is the Climate Adaptation Intern Program (https://qcnr.usu.edu/research/caip/). We call the program "CAIP" for short (pronounced like "cape"), and one of the primary goals is to help solve the human problem as it relates to climate resiliency in Utah. That is, we need to engage and train people, preferably young people who will shape the future of our state, to address climate issues and communicate about them in a thoughtful, informed manner. Through CAIP, we identify issues and work with our community partners to develop locally specific resources to address and/or educate about them.
What are some sustainable practices or policies that could help preserve alpine biodiversity?
As I described above, the overarching problem has a simple solution with a complex implementation, we have to get our carbon emissions—locally and globally—under control. But, beyond that, we're very excited about the potential for rock glaciers to act as climate refugia for mountain biodiversity. So, protecting and monitoring those unique ice features makes a lot of sense.
What advice would you give to people interested in a career in climate change research and communication?
Don't wait until you are older, have more experience, or any other potential reason to delay. The problems are real and happening now. And, wherever you are in your life, you can make a difference. Start by learning as much as you can (we have a bunch of Utah-specific resources here: https://extension.usu.edu/climate/), then look for ways to get experience—whether that's through an intern program as an undergrad (e.g., CAIP), a local group, etc. Once you know where you are most passionate, you can start looking for more formal experiences like graduate school.
Looking ahead, what developments in climate science are you most excited about?
I'm very excited about the shift that's occurring towards the electrification of our transportation system. This is a huge deal, and it's happening quickly. A decade ago, an electric vehicle was a rare sight on the roads. But, now, I can look out my window and 3 of the 8 cars are electric. That's inspiring.
In your opinion, what’s the biggest misconception the public has about climate change and mountain environments?
That the snow is always going to be there. It isn't. The changes we are seeing are not incremental variability. It's a transformation of the mountains. We are moving from a state where winter arrives, seasonal snowpack accumulates, then it melts out in spring, into a new regime where we'll start having years where it snows, then the snowpack melts out, then it snows again, rinse and repeat. That will have big implications for water availability and outdoor recreation.
Finally, can you share one way that you practice sustainability in your daily life?
What a good question! There are so many that I could share, but I'll try to stick to just one. Recently, I've been paying a lot more attention to where the things I eat and buy come from (and what's in them) and making more sustainable choices. For instance, plant-based milks are far more environmentally friendly than dairy-based ones. As such, I've largely switched over from eating traditional dairy products to alternatives. For me, this is mostly just drinking a lot more oat milk instead of dairy milk. In the same vein, meat production is particularly hard on the planet, so I try to be very selective about what meat I consume (and especially when I buy meat).