Originally from Maine, Jon Russell grew up taking a liking to lichens and a penchant for plants. His family helped him cultivate an insatiable curiosity for the natural world, amidst a biogeography not so different from that of the Pacific Northwest. Jon went to college to understand how plants create such verdant splendor from thin air, and how we might collaborate with natural processes to protect our environment. Jon studied molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale College, where he helped to discover fungi capable of biodegradation of synthetic plastics. Inspired by what these fungi could do, he went on to Harvard University to earn his Ph.D. in biochemistry as a Hertz Fellow. Jon came to Seattle to build mathematical models for malaria control with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and most recently he has been working with other scientists to develop biotechnological solutions to mitigate anticipated impacts from climate change. Jon has found his most rewarding work in teaching diverse students at each new stage in his career—in classes such as the Science of Cooking, to Malaria Genetic Epidemiology, to Materials Science. His life mission is to cultivate a potent enthusiasm for how scientific understanding can make the world a better place and to transmit this passion to young people so that future generations will be able to adapt to the complexities of our future. Jon is thrilled to continue growing as a teacher at The Downtown School. He lives, runs, and swims around Seattle with his husband Chris and beloved Great Dane Lyra.