M. Scott Harris, Ph.D., P.G.
Coastal, subsurface, and remote-sensing geoscience — investigation, mapping, and expert advisory
Charleston, South Carolina · earthaccess.us · scott@earthaccess.us
Licensed Professional Geologist with three decades of field investigation across coasts, seafloors, and buried sites. I turn geophysical and remote-sensing data into findings that owners, agencies, and counsel can act on — and I help regulate the profession that produces them.
Meeting client needs
- Subsurface and site investigation — ground-penetrating radar, shallow geophysics, and stratigraphy for development, heritage, and due-diligence questions.
- Coastal and seafloor mapping — sidescan sonar, autonomous-vessel bathymetry, drone photogrammetry, sand-resource and shoreline-change assessment.
- Ground motion and water — InSAR and GPS vertical land motion monitoring, groundwater modeling (MODFLOW 6), stormwater and sediment studies.
- Independent expert review — technical review and professional-practice judgment grounded in state licensure enforcement.
By the numbers
30+years of field and applied geoscience
70+publications and technical reports
200+conference and invited presentations
Selected work
- Pre-development GPR survey, Charleston — ran a full 3D GPR site investigation and delivered a 7,500-page technical report to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).
- H.L. Hunley submarine — volume author for the site-analysis and environmental-context chapters of the Navy’s recovery report.
- Outer continental shelf sand resource evaluation — volume estimates for offshore sand supporting coastal resilience planning (federal client).
- Shoreline erosion — conducted multiple shoreline erosion studies using historical and modern methodologies (private, state, and federal clients).
- Coastal stormwater ponds — storage and export of contaminated sediments (state agency).
Leadership and appointments
- Vice-Chair, South Carolina Board for Licensure in Geology — appointed by the Governor; licensure and enforcement authority.
- Subject-Matter Expert, National Association of State Boards of Geology — national licensure examination.
- Vice-Chair, Charleston County Resilience and Sustainability committee — County Council appointment.
- Board Member, SECOORA (Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association), 2024–present.
- Geological Society of America — Chair, Southeastern Section; Chair, Geology and Society Division.
- College of Charleston — Director of Archaeology (2017–2022); Chair, Faculty Advisory Committee to the President; Chair, Faculty Senate Budget Committee.
Credentials and recognition
- Professional Geologist, South Carolina (2016) · Associate Professor of Geology, College of Charleston (2007–present)
- Ph.D., Geology, University of Delaware · M.S., Environmental Science, University of Virginia · B.S., Geology (minor in Anthropology), College of William and Mary
- Fulbright Scholar, Greece · Best Paper and Presentation, International Coastal Symposium · Arms of the City of Lisbon, presented by the Mayor
- FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot · Small-boat operator certification · InSAR training workshop, Alaska Satellite Facility · Short-course training in GNSS and in terrestrial, marine, and aerial geophysical systems