Staff profile

Dr John Vincent Russell

Lecturer

Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering

School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
Department of Civil Engineering and Physical Sciences

Building Applied Science 2, Room 4:06, Bendigo

 

Qualifications

BAgEng, DipEd Melb., PhDCivilEng Lond.

Area of study

Civil Engineering

Brief Profile

Dr John Russell grew up in the agricultural environment of Shepparton, Victoria, and was awarded a bachelors degree in Agricultural Engineering whilst attending the University of Melbourne. On graduating he briefly worked for the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission and later studied in London where he was awarded a PhD in Civil Engineering. Following extensive world travels he joined Melbourne Water where he worked in both water and wastewater for many years as a senior engineer; he project managed many significant studies and projects.  The most significant of which was the dynamic computer simulation of Metropolitan Melbourne's piped water supply system and the conceiving, designing, installation and commissioning of the anaerobic lagoon covering and gas capture at the Western Treatment Plant for Melbourne.  He was awarded Diploma of Education by the University of Melbourne 1994 and in 1997 he was appointed to be a lecturer at La Trobe University, Bendigo, where he lectures in both water/wastewater and environmental science.

Dr Russell's long-term research activity is in low input sustainable agriculture (LISA) and he has a network of eight supporting landholder across northern Victorian (both dryland and irrigation farms) who support his research into creating and maintaining productive healthy soils. In the last 10 years Dr Russell and his colleagues at Bendigo have made a major contribution to the issues of climate change, water and land management in the southern part of the Murray Darling Basin. Their advice has been acknowledged by the Federal and State governments. Dr Russell was a member of the Victorian Catchment Management Council from 1998 to 2005 where he played a significant role in the preparation of The Health of Our Catchments - A Victorian Report Card 2002 to the Victorian Parliament. From 1992 to 1997 he was an (expert) member of the Mid-Goulburn Regional Water Authority. He regularly consults to industry and water authorities on water/wastewater, sustainability and environmental issues. E.g. Dr Russell was an overseas consultant for alternatives to the Hong Kong $US2.5Billion wastewater disposal scheme for 12 years - 1991 to 2003.

Dr Russell is the author of many peer reviewed research papers and widely promulgates the research findings: particularly with northern Victorian farming organisations and community groupings.

Patent

12th November 2009 John Vincent Russell of La Trobe University granted Innovative Patent 2009101066 “Submerged Anchoring Platform for Plastic Lined Channels in Irrigation Systems”

Teaching Units

CIV1EP Engineering Experience

ENV1CSS Climate Sustainability and Society

CIV2GR Group Research

CIV3HE1 Hydraulic Engineering 1

CIV4HE2 Hydraulic Engineering 2

CIV4INV Final Year Project Investigation

CIV4RE Regional Engineering

CIV4SI Sustainable Infrastructure

Consulting

John is currently the Environmental Auditor of the Cairn Curran Dam rehabilitation.

Recent Publications

Publications - past 5 years

  • Russell J., and Frescher E., (2005)  A Comparison of Biodynamic and Conventionally Managed Soils – Hyden Western Australia. Journal Biodynamic Growing, 4, 29-33. ISBN/ISSN 1449-1044
  • Russell J., and Frescher E., (2005) A Biodynamic Approach to Dryland Salinity and its Potential to Ameliorate Degraded Landscapes-Hyden Western Australia. Journal Biodynamic Growing, 5, 16-17. ISBN/ISSN 1449-1044
  • Russell J., and Bartlett J., (2005) Engineering Sustainable Agriculture. EES 2005 [CD-Rom] Conference Proceedings Environmental Engineering and Sustainability National Conference, Sydney. ISBN/ISSN 0646 45002-6
  • Russell J., and Long K., Regional Development in Northern Victoria is threatened by Climate Change.  (2006) [CD-Rom] Conference Proceeding 30th ANZRSAI Conference Beechworth, Victoria. ISBN 978-1-74128-128-6
  • Russell J., and Long K., (2006) A failed Lake Eppalock: a dire indicator for a parched Murray Darling Basin Journal the Environmental Engineer, Vol 7,4, 7-11. ISSN 1447-9435
  • Russell J., and Long K., (2007) What is Sustainability when on the Climate Roller Coaster? [CD-Rom] Conference Proceeding 2nd international Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science, Auckland New Zealand. NZ Society for Sustainability Engineering and Science
  • Russell J., and Long K., (2008) What is Sustainability when on the Climate Roller Coaster? NZSSES Special Issue 25th Anniversary Year – Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems Journal, Vol 25 Number 4  December, 2008
  •  9-12 December 2008, Russell J. Engineering the Global Thermostat Part A – Humanity’s Dilemma  Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science, Auckland, NZ, Dec 9-12, 2008. 9-12 December 2008, Russell J. Engineering the Global Thermostat Part B – Creating a Permaclimate  Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science, Auckland, NZ, Dec 9-12, 2008.
  • 6-9 December 2009, Russell J., Legge K., and Petrolito J. A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Introducing Environmental-Sustainability Concepts Into A Civil Engineering Course University of Adelaide, Adelaide South Australia. Proceeding of the 20th Annual Conference for the Australasian Associatio for Engineering Education [CD Rom]
  • 5-8 December 2010, Russell J., Petrolito J., and Legge K.  Engineering education: Preparation for future leadership roles University of Technology Sydney, NSW.  Proceeding of the 21st Annual Conference for the Australasian Association for Engineering Education [Sydney (www.aaee.com.au)]
  • 30 Nov – 3 December 2010, Russell J. and Long K. Transitions to Sustainability - Are we confident about the IPCC climate change predictions for the future? University of Auckland, New Zealand. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science, Auckland, NZ, Dec, 2010. [http://www.nzsses.auckland.ac.nz/conference/2010/index.htm]

Conferences attended - past 5 years

  • 6-8 July 2005, Environmental Engineering and Sustainability National Conference, Sydney.Russell J., and Bartlett J., Engineering Sustainable Agriculture. ISBN/ISSN 0646 45002-6 
  • 26-29 September 2006, 30th ANZRSAI Conference Beechworth, Victoria. Russell J., and Long K., Regional Development in Northern Victoria is threatened by Climate Change. ISBN 978-1-74128-128-6
  • 8-11 October 2006, International Landcare Conference, Melbourne. Russell J., and Long K., Landcare: to good too bad.  Implications of water yield loss in the Eppalock catchment.
  • 20-23 January 2007, Russell J., and Long K., 2nd international Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science, Auckland New Zealand. NZ Society for Sustainability Engineering and Science, What is Sustainability when on the Climate Roller Coaster?
  • 10-11 October 2007, Russell J., and Long K, 5th Victorian Flood Management Conference, Warrnambool, Victoria Changing Climate, Changing Flooding - Transformation of the Eppalock Catchment.
  • 8-9 May 2008, Russell J., International Conference On Infrastructure Development, Malaysia. KLIUC, Teaching Engineering Undergraduates Sustainable Engineering Concepts and Principles in Australia.
  • 8-9 May 2008, Russell J., International Conference On Infrastructure Development, Malaysia. KLIUC, Implication of Global Climate Change and ‘Peak Oil’ Uncertainties on Existing and Proposed Malaysian Infrastructure.
  •  9-12 December 2008, Russell J. 3rd International Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science, Auckland New Zealand. NZ Society for Sustainability Engineering and Science, Engineering the Global Thermostat Part A – Humanity’s Dilemma
  • 9-12 December 2008, Russell J. 3rd International Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science, Auckland New Zealand. NZ Society for Sustainability Engineering and Science, Engineering the Global Thermostat Part B – Creating a Permaclimate
  • 6-9 December 2009, Russell J., Legge K., and Petrolito J. A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Introducing Environmental-Sustainability Concepts Into A Civil Engineering Course University of Adelaide, Adelaide South Australia.
  • 30 Nov – 3 December 2010, Russell J. and Long K. Transitions to Sustainability - Are we confident about the IPCC climate change predictions for the future? University of Auckland NZ. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science, Auckland, New Zealand, Dec, 2010. [http://www.nzsses.auckland.ac.nz/conference/2010/index.htm 
  • 5-8 December 2010, Russell J., Petrolito J., and Legge K.  Engineering education: Preparation for future leadership roles University of Technology Sydney, NSW.  Proceeding of the 21st Annual Conference for the Australasian Association for Engineering Education [Sydney (www.aaee.com.au)]