Russells research is on how particles in the atmosphere effect climate, particularly aerosols from pollution sources such as automobiles. While Russell was at Princeton she developed the use of remote-controlled aircraft to collect atmospheric data. She has examined the factors controlling the production of organic aerosol particles in the atmosphere and the impact of aerosols on global warming. Russells research has defined the composition of organic compounds in atmospheric aerosols and linked the presence of aerosol particles in the atmosphere to the underlying seawater.
Russell has examined dust particles at multiple locations. Yang Yang and Russell used the Community Earth System Model to study aerosols above eastern China and observed that variability in the dust particles impacted the level of haze in the region. Within the United States, Russell has tracked aerosol particles from Las Vegas, Nevada into California. Russell has also demonstrated the feasibility of using biofuels during research cruises by replacing the diesel fuel with biofuel on the research vessel R.V. Robert Gordon Sproul and examining the resulting production of NO compounds, particulate material, and hydroxy radicals.