Eugene Michael "Gene" Wescott (February 15, 1932 – February 23, 2014) was an American scientist, artist, and traditional dancer. He was born in Hampton, Iowa, and moved to North Hollywood, California at the age of 10, where he later attended North Hollywood High School and Valley Junior College. He graduated from UCLA and moved to Alaska in 1958, attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he obtained his PhD in 1960.