معرفی
Jon Russ is a Professor of Chemistry at Rhodes University, specializing in the chemical analysis of archaeological and environmental materials. His research integrates advanced analytical techniques such as XRF, SEM-EDS, LA-ICP-MS, and GC-MS to investigate rock coatings, ancient rock art, and prehistoric smoking pipes.
- Education:
- B.S. in Chemistry (1987), Corpus Christi State University (now TAMU-CC)
- Ph.D. in Analytical/Physical Chemistry (1991), Texas A&M University
Research Interests: His work focuses on understanding the formation of calcium oxalate rock coatings that preserve prehistoric rock art globally, using trace organic compounds to date these coatings. He also explores the chemical residue in archaeological smoking pipes to trace the historical use of tobacco and other plants in North America, employing radiocarbon dating and compound detection methods.
Publications: Recent studies include analyses of rock coatings in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands, organic residues in Mississippian-era pipes, and pioneering work identifying nicotine in a 3500-year-old smoking tube from Georgia—the earliest evidence of tobacco in North America. His interdisciplinary approach bridges chemistry, archaeology, and environmental science.
