Education
- Ph.D. Educational Systems Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- M.S. Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
- B.S. Astrophysics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
Professional Experience
Clients & Projects:
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries – developed the “Modeling Marine Ecosystems with Virtual Reality” curriculum, which uses a Virtual Reality (VR) scientific visualization tool for marine environments called “Virtual Ecosystem Scenario Viewer” (VES-V) to explore three topics: Ocean Food Webs, Observations and Models, and Predators and Prey.
- Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU), Salt Lake City – consulted about the redesign of the museum’s Utah Futures gallery (including the Utah Climate Challenge game) and Sky gallery; facilitated two staff brainstorming workshops and reported recommendations
- Binghamton University, New York – presented invited seminar titled “Minds-on Virtual Education via Simulations, Games and Web-based Activities” to the faculty of the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science (July 2020)
- UCAR Center for Science Education – consulted about the development of an educational Virtual Reality (VR) drone mission simulation game
- Space Foundation – developed the Mars Helicopter Lesson Plan and presented it to teachers and students via webinars
UCAR Center for Science Education, Boulder, Colorado
Developer of Science Education Games and Interactive Multimedia
2003-2019
- Wrote and illustrated hundreds of web-based articles about science topics and STEM education
- Developed and taught dozens of professional development workshops for teachers on science and engineering education topics, both face-to-face and online (webinars)
- Developed numerous educational simulations, games, virtual labs, animations, and interactive multimedia for use on the web, mobile devices, and in hands-on touchscreen exhibits
- Lead project to redesign group’s web site and promote its use via marketing and SEO efforts, resulting in web site traffic levels of more than 3 million visitors and 7 million page views per year
- Developed and taught a series of online courses for educators about climate and climate change
- Promoted STEM education on a national level via talks and posters at professional society meetings, organizing and chairing sessions at meetings, and publication of an extensive list of educational games and simulations for science education
Developed multimedia training materials for company’s employees.
Worked with a team of Earth science curriculum experts to create computer-based interactives for teaching Earth science concepts to high school students. The interactives were designed to accompany a textbook (Earth Science by Spaulding & Namowitz). The project was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
Project Manager – Virtual University
1997-2001
Co-developed 17 online courses with MSU faculty as part of Michigan State’s initial foray into web-based education. Served as online pedagogy consultant, instructional designer, and technical expert to assist faculty with creating online courses, primarily for engineering, science, medical, and math education.
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
Graduate Research Assistant – Communication Technology Lab
1990-1996
Conducted research about emerging multimedia technologies for use in education. Lead the Microbe Zoo project to develop a web site and CD-ROM for microbiology education. Co-developed several other multimedia projects, including the Personal Communicator, a sign language translation tool that won Discover Magazine’s “Technology Innovation of the Year Award – Software” in 1995.
Computer Sciences Corporation, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
Computer Programmer/Analyst
1987-1988
Developed and maintained software for satellite communications and orbital tracking.
Publications
Select publications:
- Henderson, S., R.M. Johnson, L. Gardiner, D.L. Ward, R. Russell, K.K. Meymaris and B. Hatheway. (2009) “NCAR Online Climate Discovery Courses: Professional Developmenet for Geoscience”. The Earth Scientist, 24, 4.
- Bhaduri, S., Van Horne, K., Sumner, T., Russell, R., and Ristvey, J. (2018) “Learning Engineering Practices Through Drones: Iterative design of an informal learning curriculum”. 13th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS). London, UK. June 2018.
- Johnson, R.M., D. Mastie and R. Russell. (2012) “Space Weather and Magnetism As We Approach Solar Maximum”. The Earth Scientist, 28, 4.
- Johnson, R.M., S. Henderson, L. Gardiner, R. Russell, D. Ward, S. Foster, K. Meymaris, B. Hatheway, L. Carbone and T. Eastburn. (2008) “Lessons Learned Through Our Climate Change Development Program for Middle and High School Teachers”. Physical Geography, 29, 6, pp. 500-511.
- Ward, D., Meymaris, K.K., Henderson, S., Walker, C., Pompea, S., Gallagher, S., Russell, R. and Salisbury, D. (2006) “GLOBE at Night: A World-Wide Hunt for Stars!”. The Earth Scientist, 24, 4.
- Scranton, A.B., Russell, R.M., Basker, N. and Scranton, L.C. (1999) “Teaching Material and Energy Balances on the Internet”. Proceedings of the 1999 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference [won the J.J. Martin Award for the most outstanding Chemical Engineering Division paper presented at the conference]
- Gardiner, L., Johnson, R., Russell, R., Eastburn, T., Bergman, J., LaGrave, M. and Genyuk, J. (2008) “Polar Explorations in the Classroom via Windows to the Universe”. The Earth Scientist, 27, 1.
- Heeter, C. and Russell, R. (1992) “Developers’ Dialogue: Choosing a Platform”, Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia. Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 111-118.
- Bhaduri, S., Gendreau, A., Koushik, V.S., Sumner, T., Ristvey, J., and Russell, R. (2018). “Promoting Low Income Middle School Students Motivation and Persistence in an Afterschool Engineering Program”. In Johnson, J.B. & Johnson, J.M. (Eds.) STEM21: Equity in Teaching and Learning to meet Global Challenges of Standards, Engagement and Transformation. New York: Peter Lang Publishing.
Presentations (face-to-face and online)
Select recent presentations:
- Invited seminar presented to the faculty of the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science at Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York – “Minds-on Virtual Education via Simulations, Games and Web-based Activities” – July 2020 – online
- Geological Society of America (GSA) Annual Meeting – “Using Simple Simulations in the Earth Sciences to Engage Students with the NGSS Practice of Scientific Modeling” – September 2019 – Phoenix, Arizona
- American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) – 126th Annual Conference & Exposition – poster “Engineering Education Using Inexpensive Drones” – June 2019 – Tampa, Florida
- Colorado Science Conference – “The Drone Mission Board Game and Hands-on Activities for Engineering Education” (hands-on workshop) – October 2018 – Denver, Colorado
- NESTA and NOAA Planet Stewards webinar – “Using Simple Models in Climate Change Education” – September 2018 – online
- International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference & Expo – “Games, Simulations and Virtual Labs for STEM/Science Education” and “From the Ground Up: Teaching Engineering with Drones” – June 2018 – Chicago, Illinois
- National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) National Conference – “Drone/UAV Lessons for Science and STEM Education”, “Sun and Space Weather Games”, “Games and Simulations for Weather and Climate Education”, and “Simulations and Games Integrating Earth Science with Physics and Chemistry” – March 2018 – Atlanta, Georgia
- American Meteorological Society (AMS) 98th Annual Meeting – “Drones for Engineering in the Atmospheric Sciences” – January 2018 – Austin, Texas
- CLEAN webinar – “Simulations and Models for Teaching Earth System Science“- December 2018 – online
Professional Affiliations
- National Science Teaching Association (NSTA)
- International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
- National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA)
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
- American Meteorological Society (AMS)
- Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP)
Online Courses – developed and/or taught
UCAR/NCAR
I co-developed and co-taught a series of online courses about climate science for teachers and other educators.
- Introduction to Earth’s Climate
- Earth System Science: A Climate Change Perspective
- Understanding Climate Change Today
- Climate Discovery Online Course for the ASTC C3 Community
Michigan State University – Virtual University
I served as an instructional designer, online pedagogy consultant, and technical expert while helping several MSU faculty develop online versions of their courses. Most courses were in STEM disciplines.
- Chemical Engineering 201: Material and Energy Balances
- Chemical Engineering 491/891 & Mechanical Engineering 491/940: Multiphase Transport Phenomena/Process Engineering Design
- AP Chemistry
- First Year Online (FYOL) initiative: Biology 110/111
- Medical Technology (MT) 830: Concepts in Molecular Biology
- MT 831: Clinical Applications of Molecular Biology
- Math 1825: Intermediate Algebra
- Geography 206: Introduction to Physical Geography
- Resource Development (RD) 452: Watershed Concepts
- RD 491: Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control
- RD 491: Watershed Concepts and Management for Local Officials, Public Administrators and Practitioners
- RD 891: Building & Implementing Watershed Management Plans
- RD 891: Watershed Assessments and Tools
- RD 876: International Rural Development
- Center for Fundamental Materials Research (CFMR) Symposium 1997
- Managing Export Operations (Center for International Business Education & Research)
- Counseling, Ed Psych, and Special Ed 857B: Techniques of Orientation and Mobility I