UCI Scientist Roger Russell Dies at 83

Roger W. Russell, a UC Irvine research psychobiologist and former vice chancellor of academic affairs, has died of cardiopulmonary failure after a two-month illness. He was 83.

Russell, who was a UCI professor and administrator from 1967 to 1972, helped shape the campus in its early years. He returned in 1990, working without pay at the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. Every day, he showed up at the center to counsel students, serve on committees and continue his research.

“This was his first love--his science and his teaching,” said Lynn Brown, the center’s assistant director. “He was just fabulously nurturing and encouraging to our students.”

Russell is known for his studies on the biological basis of behavior. His research contributed to the understanding of drug tolerance, learning and memory, dementia and the effects of pesticides.

Among his numerous commendations, Russell is the recipient of the UCI Alumni Assn.’s highest honor, the Extraordinarius award. Also, he had served as a Fulbright advanced research fellow at the University of London Institute of Psychiatry and a Fulbright professor at the University of Sydney, Australia.

In 1972, he left Irvine to become vice chancellor of Flinders University in South Australia. Seven years later, he left Flinders and served as a visiting professor at universities including UCLA and the University of Stockholm.

He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Fortescue Russell of Irvine; daughter Gillian Russell Grable of Atlanta; son Jon Walker Russell of Australia; and several other relatives.

UC Irvine will hold a memorial for Russell at 4 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory.

His family requests that donations be made to the UCI Foundation and sent to the Roger W. Russell Memorial Fund, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, UC Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-3800. Donations will be used for graduate student research awards.

Information: (949) 824-1125.