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Winston Scott has transitioned from a distinguished U.S. Navy Captain and NASA astronaut to a leader in academia and space policy, sharing insights from his extensive career in aviation and spaceflight.
Captain Scott was appointed to the Board of Directors of Piper Aircraft. His extensive knowledge and experience in aviation were seen as beneficial to the company, particularly as its production of training aircraft increased.
Winston Scott retired from NASA and the U.S. Navy to accept a position at his alma mater, Florida State University, as Vice President for Student Affairs.
Winston Scott serves as the Dean of the College of Aeronautics at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne.
In 2006, Scott became Vice President and Deputy General Manager on the engineering and science contract at Johnson Space Center for Jacobs Engineering in Houston, Texas.
Scott has written a book about his experiences in space, "Reflections From Earth Orbit", published by Apogee Books.
Winston Elliott “Win” Scott was born on August 6, 1950, in Miami, Florida. He commenced his academic journey at Florida State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music in 1972, and later obtained a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1980. His military career began in 1973 when he entered Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School, becoming a Naval Aviator in August 1974. Scott gained extensive flight experience, flying fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft such as the SH-2F helicopter, TA-4J Skyhawk, F-14 Tomcat, F/A-18 Hornet, and A-7 Corsair II. He accumulated over 5,000 hours of flight time across 20 different military and civilian aircraft, alongside more than 200 shipboard landings. His naval career highlights include serving with Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 33 (HSL-33) and Fighter Squadron 84 (VF-84), and holding leadership roles as a production test pilot and Deputy Director in tactical aircraft systems and product support departments.
In April 1992, Scott was selected by NASA for astronaut training, reporting to the Johnson Space Center in August 1992. He served as a mission specialist on two Space Shuttle missions: STS-72 in 1996 and STS-87 in 1997. Across these missions, he logged a total of 24 days, 14 hours, and 34 minutes in space, performing three spacewalks that amounted to 19 hours and 26 minutes outside the spacecraft. These spacewalks were crucial for evaluating techniques for the assembly of the International Space Station and testing EVA tools. After retiring from NASA and the U.S. Navy in July 1999, Scott transitioned to leadership roles in academia and space policy. He accepted a position as Vice President for Student Affairs at his alma mater, Florida State University, and subsequently served as Executive Director of the Florida Space Authority. In this role, he was responsible for developing space-related industry and economic initiatives for the State of Florida, advising on space policies and programs, and advocating for the consolidation of state space organizations into what is now Space Florida.
Currently, Winston Scott serves as the senior advisor to the president of Florida Institute of Technology, where he previously held positions as Dean of the College of Aeronautics and Senior Vice President for External Relations and Economic Development. He has authored a book titled “Reflections From Earth Orbit,” detailing his experiences as an astronaut. Scott is also an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics and the National Naval Officers Association. His contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, such as the Defense Superior Service Medal, two NASA Space Flight Medals, and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Florida Atlantic University, as well as an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering degree from Michigan State University.
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