Scott Douglass

Scott is a nationally recognized leader in coastal engineering. He has authored multiple generations of primary guidance documents on coastal highway and bridge planning and design for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. His work includes the design of major beach nourishment projects and the pioneering development of bay beach nourishment techniques using breakwaters to achieve permanent shoreline stabilization — most notably the pocket beaches at Marriott’s Grand Hotel Resort and Spa in Point Clear, Alabama. His innovative beach and marsh restoration designs have received national awards for engineering excellence and environmental conservation. As an expert witness, he has contributed to high-profile legal cases involving coastal science, engineering, and policy, including proceedings before the Supreme Court of the United States. Scott is an emeritus professor at the University of South Alabama and the author of a book on the causes of and solutions to beach erosion. To attest to his expertise, he has personally visited every beach in the United States.