Arthur Scott is a retired engineer who made a 35 year career in NASA’s manned space flight program, DoD’s national security space programs and Japan’s commercial space program. He grew up near Chicago during the Apollo era and dreamed of being a fighter pilot and an astronaut. He made crude telescopes to look at the stars and often asked his dad “so how does it work?”. He found engineering as a career path to combine his curiosity of things that go fast with his abilities in math and science

What inspired you to explore STEM when you were young?

NASA’s Apollo program kept me looking at the moon and the stars. I was always drawn to things that move fast and could escape the bounds of gravity. My dad would answer my questions about how things worked, but there were always more questions. My parents fostered the joy of learning even though my Dad was never allowed to finish I high school.

What do you enjoy most about what you do in your STEM career?

My STEM education and career has taken me into a variety of industries, from rockets and satellites, to nuclear power production, and nuclear powered submarines, to steel production. It has taken me all over the US and Japan and connected me with some truly incredible people.

What is a fun, bizarre or insightful STEM fact about your field?

The best ideas or solutions to complex problems can come from anyone and often in a collaborative environment where all are encouraged to participate.

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