Russell Jackson had a very interesting time navigating his way to the University of Idaho.
Jackson, 40, works as an associate professor of psychology at UI and is known across the campus for his rigorous introduction psychology course as well as his integrated seminar course, “Origin of the Mind,” which focuses on human evolution.
A native of Colorado, Jackson studied evolutionary biology and psychology at the University of Colorado, graduating with a degree in psychology with a minor in biology in 2001.
Jackson moved on to the University of Texas for graduate school, pursuing his Ph.D., and studied experimental psychology and statistics. However, his research was in navigation and human evolution.
“I was going through my notes — I’m obsessive about taking notes on ideas — and there was an idea that I had when I was a sophomore in college that had to do with how we might perceive an environment differently based on the risk of falling in the environment,” Jackson said.
Jackson spent a summer reading around 150 articles and writing down his thoughts between 50 to 60 hours a week on his own.
“I wasn’t taking classes,” Jackson said. “I was just sitting in an office going through all this material and bringing myself up to speed in this research that I didn’t have previous experience in.”
Jackson said his predictions about navigation and distance perception became more than just ideas at a rapid rate, as he disco- vered the largest distance illusion known in humans, which he titled “The Decent Illusion.”
“I was looking to go into a new research area that wasn’t already well explored,” Jackson said. “So, that summer I spent developing Evolved Navigation Theory payed off very quickly.”
Jackson said the statistics behind falling casualties is much higher than people would expect.
“Falling kills. I believe somewhere along the lines of three times as many people as warfare per year,” Jackson said. “It’s a huge risk of navigation that we don’t really think about as being that prominent.”
Jackson found his way to California, where he worked at California State University San Marcos for five years. He said he took the job because he was looking for place where he could perform research but was disappointed in the level of support he received.
Andrew Ward | Argonaut
Russell Jackson discusses course work with his students Thursday afternoon.
After five years in California, Jackson was offered a job at UI. Although Jackson said the research support hasn’t been as extensive as he hoped, he has been able to achieve some of his biggest goals.
“I have been able set up a virtual reality lab, and that was one of the big things I wanted to do,” Jackson said. “Also, on a personal level, I just really love living in this area more so than California. The last time I drove through Los Angeles I almost got in a knife fight on the freeway.”
Eve Buck, a junior at UI and one of Jackson’s research assistants, said she was initially surprised by how challenging Jackson’s introduction to psychology was. However, she said Jackson’s passion and teaching ability drove her to do well.
“I thought it was going to be an easy class,” Buck said. “The general consensus was that it would be an easy A, but it was not. He has high expectations and is an incredible lecturer. He is a really great educator and that is kind of what drew me to do well in his class.”
Buck, a psychology major, said working and doing research alongside Jackson provides her with many chances to gain experience in her area of study.
“He allows us undergraduate research assistants a lot of opportunities to get really great experiences,” Buck said. “He basically treats us like graduate students. His expectations are high but he is always around and willing to help us do more.”
William Felton, one of Jackson’s graduate students, shared many of the same sentiments about his instructor and adviser.
“He has high standards, but it’s for a reason,” Felton said. “You learn a lot that way. That is why he sets the bar so high. You have to rise to the standard. It stays with you.”
Jackson said he is taking next year off from teaching to go on sabbatical and write a book. After his time away, Jackson said he will be returning to his position at UI.
Jackson said he plans to teach in Idaho for the foreseeable future because of his love for the community, the students and the state.
“I love students at the University of Idaho. I really like working with young adults, and students in Idaho are tremendously polite and easy to teach,” Jackson said. “I think they are my favorite part of this university.”
Andrew Ward can be reached at arg-news@uidahoedu