Scott Rixner is a Professor of Computer Science at Rice University. His research spans virtualization, operating systems, and computer architecture, with a specific focus on memory systems and networking. He concentrates on the intersection of hardware and software, working to develop system software that better exploits modern hardware and to develop hardware that simplifies system software. He is also well versed in the internals of the Python programming language, as he has developed Python interpreters for both embedded systems and web browsers. His work has led to 11 patents and has been implemented within several open source systems.

He has also been actively involved in curriculum development and oversight at Rice, having served on the curriculum committees for the University (member), School of Engineering (chair), and Department of Computer Science (chair). He is currently leading the MCS@Rice and MDS@Rice online degree programs. Prior to joining Rice, he received his Ph.D. from MIT.