Louie Max Scott

Max was born on May 9th 1934 to L.B. and Maude Scott in Nolan County (Sweetwater) TX where he grew up a farm boy and graduated from Newman High School. After graduating with a B.S. degree from Texas A&M in 1955, during which time he was a member of the 1954 National Champion Dairy Cattle judging team, Max served in the U.S. Army.

He completed his educational pursuits in 1961 with M.S. and PhD degrees in population genetics with minors in statistics and physiology from Purdue. Max was a Health Physics specialist at the Atomic Energy commission Y-12 nuclear weapons plant in Oak Ridge, TN from 1961 to 1977. While there he co-authored the defining papers on detection and evaluation of inhaled uranium and pioneered the use of in vivo gamma spectroscopy for the detection of lung deposited uranium. From 1977 to 1985 he was Corporate Director of Radiation Heath Physics for Gulf Oil Corporation. During his tenure, he devised a mining plan that allowed for the recovery of highly concentrated uranium ore deposits with minimal radiation exposure.

From 1985 to 2002 he was a faculty member at LSU as Associate Professor of Nuclear Science, Adjunct Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Campus Radiation Safety Officer and LSU System Radiation Safety Officer. He remained as LSU System Radiation Safety Officer until 2020. While a faculty member, he developed a technique for the rapid field analysis of Ra-226 in soil and sledges. The technique is used extensive throughout Louisiana. Max was the author or co-author of over 20 peer review journal publications. He was a member of several scientific societies including the Deep South chapter of the Health Physics Society, the Health Physical Society, and Sigma Xi. He was the 2006 recipient of the Health Physics Society Founders Award and was a Life Fellow of the Society, a distinction held by less than 1% of the membership. He was a designated Technical Expert for the International Atomic Energy Agency. As a consulting health physicist, he consulted with over 100 industrial, educational and governmental entities including most of the major oil companies and all of the domestic nuclear fuel fabricators. From 2005 to 2008 Max was the Louisiana representative on the Internal Revenue Service Tax Payers Advocacy Panel. Other volunteer groups included the AARP Tax Aide Program, Baton Rouge Hospice, Baton Rouge Foodbank, Baton Rouge Library, St. Agnes soup kitchen and Senior Medical Patrol. Max’s exercise group and Sunday school class were significant contributors to his high quality of life after the loss of his wife in 2015.

Max was predeceased by his wife Charlene Scott, parents L.B. and Maude Scott, brothers J.W. and Bill Scott, sisters “Doo” and “Todd” Scott and son in law Cliff Martin. He leaves 3 children, Debbie Martin (Cliff), Kim Drennan (Kirk), and Michael Scott (Ashley) and 4 grandchildren, Caitlin Monaco (Matt), Morgan Holly (Stephen), Avery Scott and Cooper “Max” Scott. Uncle Max and Granddad Max will be missed by numerous nieces, nephews, step children, step grandchildren and special family friends.

A memorial for Max will be held April 26th at University Baptist at 11 A.M.