Scott has a PhD from the Australian National University. Scott’s academic research focuses on Islam and specifically bringing an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Islamic conversion. His peer-reviewed publications primarily focus on Islamic conversion in Muslim minority countries in the Pacific region. Building on this work he has recently focused on the security aspects of converts and Islamic missionary activity, which is one of the key factors in the worldwide surge in Islamic conversions. His research on Islamic conversion has been acclaimed by Professor Lewis Rambo, one of the world‘s foremost experts on religious conversion and his new book on Islamic conversion was published by Routledge in 2014.