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Faculty Focus:

George K. Russell
Bringing
Natural History
to Life

P
rofessor George K. Russell has been a full-time
faculty member of the Biology Department for 40 Dr. George Russell
years, and is still as passionate as a newly minted
professor when it comes to teaching natural history. “Biology focuses on the mechanics, which results in a loss
in history, and a gain in detailed knowledge,” he said.
Upon entering Princeton University as an undergraduate,
he initially intended to study English, but once he took “I try to make things real for students,” Professor Russell
an introductory course in biology, he became fascinated said in reference to the teaching method he considers
by the subject. While at Harvard to complete a Ph.D. in the most effective—the ability “to make details fall into a
biology, he studied biochemistry and the natural environ- bigger picture, to find a balance between experience and
ment, an emerging field at the time. explanation.” He teaches courses for biology majors and
for nonmajors at Adelphi, including “The Living World,”
Professor Russell was awarded the Adelphi 2007 Teaching “Darwin to DNA,” and “Physiological Chemistry.”
Excellence Award for tenured faculty, after being nomi-
nated by his colleagues and receiving recommendation Among his many achievements, Professor Russell co-
letters from 25 of his former students. He wrote a paper founded Orion magazine and served as editor-in-chief
entitled “Biology: The Study of Life, An Overview and for 20 years. In addition to currently serving as senior
Retrospective on 40 Years of Biology Teaching,” which editor of Orion, he has authored more than 30 publica-
focused on his personal philosophy of teaching. “One of tions. He has received numerous awards, including the
my principal roles as a teacher is to attempt to touch the William A. Cave Award from the Alternatives Research
hearts of those many young people who find their way into and Development Foundation in 1998, and was selected as
my classes, especially the nonmajors,” he said. one of the Outstanding Educators in America in 1978. In
addition, he is a member of the American Association for
When it comes to teaching, Professor Russell’s signature the Advancement of Science and the American Institute of
characteristic is his indefatigable enthusiasm for the field Biological Science.
of natural history, an academic discipline on the brink of
extinction, according to an article he wrote for Orion, a
quarterly magazine described by The Boston Globe as “the
best environmental magazine in the country.”

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