Researcher Profile: Timothy Russell

Sunrise is filtered by the broken clouds that dominate the South Florida horizon; the humidity hangs heavy in anticipation of afternoon thunderstorms. Keck Lab research assistant Timothy Russell climbs into the field truck that will shuttle him to the next study site. As part of an NSF-funded, long-term ecological research (LTER) project examining the Florida Coastal Everglades system, Timothy assists professor Randy Chambers with his studies of soils and organic matter throughout the marsh, mangrove, and seagrass ecosystems that dominate the south Florida landscape. Designed to measure the impacts of a multi-billion dollar Everglades restoration initiative, the soils work will determine in part how these ecosystems respond to the proposed return of water flow to the historic "River of Grass."

Timothy's typical day in the field is atypical, indeed. The 17 sampling locations he visits are spread over 75 miles, and none of them can be accessed directly by car. "I've travelled to sites using canoes, inflatable rafts, powerboats, airboats, and even helicopters," he notes. Getting to every site requires planning and coordination with the LTER team based at Florida International University in Miami. Once at a site, Timothy assists the research of others in the field team, then goes about the business of collecting soils for transport to the Keck Lab for analysis.

The challenges of sampling are both physical and biological. Extreme temperature and humidity and the constant threat of severe thunderstorms make for a tough day anywhere, but in south Florida these elements combine with mosquitoes, equipment failure and vehicle malfunctions. Sampling at some sites must be completed in full clothing and netting that solves the bug problem, but makes the heat and humidity that much worse. And that's only part of the story. "On one occasion the airboat engine overheated and wouldn't restart. We knew we should pull the boat to the nearest tree island and call for assistance, but that would have moved us into an oncoming thunderstorm for which we'd be both the tallest object and only metal object around. Can you say 'lightning rod'?."

When Timothy's not in Florida, he is involved in other research, whether assisting in the field collection of invasive wetland plant species, or sampling local streams and lakes as part of a watershed protection group he and Dr Chambers started seven years ago. He also helps students coordinate their environmental research projects and assists as a field mentor. Timothy also has set up , monitors, and maintains the Keck Lab weather station and water sampling stations and their respective websites.

Timothy was hired in 2001 to lend his expertise in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). He taught undergraduate and graduate GIS classes to students and workshops and seminars for faculty for a number of years.   "GIS is an amazing software program that touches every discipline. I have had students from Archeology, Geology, Biology, and Sociology all in the same class. It’s been a challenge and a privilege to have taught here ." Timothy also manages the day-to-day logistics of the Keck lab, but his biggest job is assisting ENSP students with their questions and needs. "Sometimes the questions are how to use specific software or how to use equipment…and sometimes, where the best place is to take their parents for dinner." For Timothy, what constitutes "research" encompasses a range of activities beyond those with which he ever thought he’d be involved. Whether troubleshooting software for ENSP faculty and students, providing data analyses for projects, trudging through Virginia’s salt marshes or returning from a sampling trip on Florida Bay ..every day is a new challenge for the Keck Lab research assistant.