Scott Tait

Scott Tait is Executive Director of the National Security Innovation Catalyst located at UC San Diego. Catalyst improves the linkages and information flow between San Diego’s national security community, entrepreneurial companies with dual-use technologies, academia, investors and policy decision-makers.

Tait served in the U.S. Navy for 27 years. His assignments included positions leading strategy, policy and innovation efforts, working directly for 3 and 4-star commanders in the Indo-Pacific region and Washington, D.C. He also held senior policy positions, with a focus in Indo-Asia, on the Joint Chiefs of Staff (J-5), Pacific Fleet staff and U.S. Seventh Fleet staff. At sea he served in Cruiser and Destroyer ships, commanding USS Mustin (DDG 89) and, most recently, USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000).

Tait holds masters degrees from Stanford University in international policy and the U.S. Naval War College in national security and strategic studies. At the U.S. Naval War College, he was a member of the Halsey Alfa Advanced Research and Wargaming Project.