An academic in the Gulbali Institute at Charles Sturt University, Dr Russ Barrow first trained as an organic chemist, receiving his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the University of Melbourne.
He now specialises as a natural products chemist and chemical ecologist. He says that from the marine environments of the Australian coast to the rainforests of New Guinea, chemistry is everywhere and explains the complex behaviours in the world around us.
Russ has spent his career exploring the chemistry of natural systems in an attempt to understand the interactions the molecules in them elicit. He has examined the chemistry of blue-green algae to develop drug leads for the treatment of cancer, explored the traditional use of fungi by indigenous communities in the highlands of Papua New Guinea and studied the intriguing chemistry and comical antics of wasps attracted to orchids due to pheromones, prompting them to attempt to copulate (and pollinate) with the flower.
In 2019, Russ shifted his focus to the agricultural sector and began looking at dung beetles. He's inspired by the amazing work they do, tirelessly processing animal waste for the benefit of the environment. His work is varied and involves everything from examining the volatile molecules that attract beetles, conducting monitoring programs to assess diversity and abundance and helping more people acquire knowledge and adopt management practices that encourage dung beetles in grazing ecosystems.
As a passionate science communicator, Russ has co-authored the popular textbook Chemistry in the Marketplace, which takes the reader through the amazing breadth of chemistry they encounter every day but probably never realised.
He has published widely in scientific journals and delivered lectures and workshops throughout Australia and around the world.
