After the U.S.-Mexican War in which Mexico had to cede almost half of its territory, now comprising much of the American Southwest, it became necessary to survey and map the new, nearly 2,000 miles (3,200 km) of border between the two countries.

Schott's interests also covered Texas geology in that he analysed sediments and fossils from the Rio Grande basin in an attempt to understand the sea-inundation history of the area.

On completion of the border survey, Schott examined the possibility of a ship canal across the Isthmus of Darien, while collecting natural history specimens in Yucatán.

In the field of botany he collected specimens of algae and phanerogams from Austria, Colombia, Hungary, Mexico (where he was part of Yucatán's Scientific Commission), and the United States.

[5] He also left many important historical drawings, such as those of the Mexico-US border, the San Antonio Texas Main Plaza, and a complete series of 12 of Yucatán's churches.