Hard, but he's good

Good teacher but he is a total jerk. Really. Says one thing in private then changes his mind in front of the class. I hate him, I hate him so much. Decides not to show up for meetings and stuff, grr.

This guy knows his stuff. He was incredibly inspiring, insightful, and not afraid to go out on a limb. Sometimes you have to keep him in check, but he's really willing to listen and work with the students - realizing the value of a quality education.

Rusty's great, but if you dont work hard he'll ream your work in class. Great guy, sometimes a jerk, true, but knows his stuff. One of the top design profs in Canada. He's not easy, but the stuff you learn is the most innovative in north america.

Russell is one of THE most educated men in his field. I've only had classes with him for 3 months,and all I can say is that I want his brain! He's definitely an asset to hang on to. Even though he gets tough on you, you will appreciate it down the road.

Rustle's HOT. I don't know what the rest of you guys are thinking. He's a great teacher, challengess his students AND expects to be blown away. It's a good way to push people who have talent and want to learn.

P.S. If you really don't want to learn what you came to this school for (ie:. design, interactive environments, etc.), and if you don't want to learn to excel in your field THEN DON'T COMPLAIN. Suckas.

very enthusiastic, but pretty scary

IMO, he's one of the best instructors at SFU Surrey. He's honest, and gives great constructive feedback. He doesn't babysit his students by saying "your work is great," even though it's crap in reality.

by far the greatest teacher of all time. it's a love/hate relationshipo though.

He is really intense but he gets his point across and he really motivates people. I think he is great and there is no reason to be scared of him cause he is awesome.

He gives a lot of work. Too much sometimes. He is a pretty easy marker though. Although for this class you need to do a lot of work even to do a poor project.

He's the first teacher that has created a design cult and has gotten people so scared and obsessed with design that they do design 24/7, 7 days a week and ignores all their other 4 equally demanding courses. His TAs are also clones of him, so all you have to do is please just one.

Russell is the man. He works his students hard and prepares them for the real world as best he can. He actually cares about his students and although they may not see it, he spends hours upon hours of unpaid time trying to make them the best they can be. I can honestly say that I wouldn't be where I am today without him!

Russel..has his favorites and his bias views, opinions and styles. Pushes you to the edge, which is great, but doesn't realize he is ruining your productive thinking by giving you way too much to handle in a course.

Seems intimidating at first, but when you talk to him face to face, he's a pretty nice guy. Very very intense, and passionate about his profession. Fun to listen to while he's lecturing (or ranting). Gives a high workload; if you do well, you'll be on top of the world, but if you don't, he can be blunt/brutal. (night & day)

In his class you litearlly sweat blood, cry rivers and smear your brains all over the walls, but in the end it's all worth it. Take away Russlell and SFU Surrey does not exist.

Best teacher I have ever had. Dedicated, high morals and standards, cares about his students, and makes you learn like crazy. Take his classes, do the work, I promise you that it will be worth all the blood and sweat and sleepless nights. Else, don't do the work and prepare for your worst nightmares. I will not be where I am today without him.

I had this guy for 3 years in a row...Most definately a love hate relationship. Sometimes you want to smack him for not appreciating your efforts in front of the class, and sometimes you really feel like you're his friend. He's got tones of knowledge and he knows what he's talking about. He's better known as Chef Ramsey of SFU Surrey or better y

If you do the work and show up he will respect you. If you slack off he wont. He does play favorites but his favorites are the ones who work their asses off for it. You earn it.

This class was the best class I have ever take. period. He expects a lot our of you so be prepaird to work.

great prof, learned aaaaaalllooooottt!!!!! important to attend his class, know his stuff very well, but he has very high standard, so better watch out!~

WICKED PROF. made a huge impact on the students. PASSIONATE about the subject. very challenging, but you will get so much out of it. he knows how to get you in your "zone" and get the most out of you. fantastic.

love the fact that I learned INSANE stuff beyond what I expected through designing, i.e. sweating blood. hate that I had to pull all-nighters almost every week. You're expected to make sensible assumptions and ask TA for help! He DOES give LOTS of valuable feedback & he knows his stuff!! You just have to work HARD or else you'll learn nothing.

Hard but good.

Will work you to the bone and you will have practically NO life for the semester, but guaranteed you will get more from him than anyone else. He is actually quite nice and will recognize hard work. Lazy students and ppl who don't want to think should stay away.... Take also his 300 level course if possible!

He is a very inspiring teacher. He pretty much changed my life. Everyone who has taken his courses seriously, agrees that they were another person before taking that course. You learn so much with him, and he makes you work your ass off. Forget about the rest of your life during that semester, but the reward is the best you can ever get: KNOWLEDGE

Other profs should take teaching lessons from him! he knows how to communicate what he is trying to teach. The MOST passionate teaching staff at SFU i've come across. he knows his stuff and he wants you to know it all too! he gives you lots of playing room in his projects if you are willing to take the risk.put in the effort and u wont regret it!

Russ is a great prof. His classes are always challenging and never boring. He's not afraid to rip your work to shreds, but if you put in the time and effort, you won't have to worry about that. He recognizes students that do well, and pushes them farther. This class is not for the faint of heart, but put in the time and you'll do just fine.

I would say he is a good prof, but he needs to communicate with other profs about his use of student time. sure you learn lots in his class, but that is because you don't have time to learn anything in other classes you are in during his. he is good, but either make his class worth more credits, or tone down the expected hours of students.

Rusell gives a high workload but it really pushes you to do better. His comments in labs are very helpful and not sugar coated. He is a very passionate teacher and you can really see the difference compared to other teachers. Just take only 2 other courses max when taking this course!

The course contain a very heavy work load. Watch out! but you will find the content u study in there is very useful in future.

His course is like taking 8 credits - no exaggeration. Demands a high quality of work, which is good, but workload is completely unhinged from reality. His implicit attitude is that people aren't really learning much in their other university courses, so he might as well take over their whole schedule. Please SIAT - make him revamp 233!

He is the greatest teacher I've ever had! From the first e-mail you receive from him, you're able to tell that he's one passionate professor. No doubt. If I were to paint a mural on the ceiling over my bed without a doubt it would be of his face. Smiling down on me, as I sleep.

Russell is one of the most inspiring professors I have ever had. Design is not a subject that can be taught through theory alone, and because of that Russell demands a high work load. I recommend this class to anyone who wants to strengthen their skills in Design, Clarity of speech, Ability to work on a deadline, and creative approach.

Passionate and enthusiastic instructor. Knows his materials well and genuinely believes in what he teaches. His attitude might come off as being offensive to students who can't handle the truth. Gives great feedback and ways to improve your work.

The best so far.

No doubt one of, if not THE best professor in IAT. Knows his material inside out and completely changes the way you think about design and more importantly, how you design. Best advice I can give: TAKE HIS CLASS. Do the work. Don't let the hard material intimidating because if you put your full effort into this class, it WILL pay off.

He is the reason SIAT is famous for its "design" school. Being the ONLY design instructor at the school, he does an amazing job. Things may not be crystal clear sometimes, but you learn a lot, and he directs you how and why you should learn certain things. It's hard sometimes, with the amount of work, but it's well worth it. Pick your teams well.

He is the best prof. that I have never seen before!! Try to enjoy this hell then you will like it!!! :D

It's basically the architect design class. You will do more research and concept than design. Not like IAT102 at all. I always can't the brief(lec notes) . way too long and not straight to the point. you will do most his work everyday like hell. Max 2 courses i will suggest to take in a term. Enjoy his hell lec! good luck! but you will learn a lot

Russell's famous at SIAT, and for a good reason: he is a phenomenal instructor. I recommend working with ambitious, calm, and considerate people. Try to minimize drama in your group, because there most likely will be some. Special shoutout to Maryam for being the most dedicated TA I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Anyone who hates this Prof is an idiot. I learned more from this one class then 2 years of university and its carried over to everything I do in my life. The class takes away your life, but you learn so god dam much. Groups can be a problem sometimes, expect all nighters, but everything he does is fair and for a reason. He will always give reasons

Can't say enough about Russell. He's great and VERY passionate about design, he can be intimidating at first but once he warms up to the class he's really fun to be around. The assignments can be tough but not impossible. He's great with his critiques, gives really good feedback for work. I'd take him as prof for every class if I could.

Russell is probably the greatest instructor in SIAT, hands down. Knows his stuff and really communicates it well, and tries to clarify through email whenever possible. Great knowledge on subject material and gives good feedback -- I've learned more from him alone than all from all of first & second semester combined. All in all, funny and cool guy.

Took 233 and 438 and yes he's tough, especially in 233. But it's tough love b/c he wants you to know the stuff, do it well+start getting a gist of the professional world asap. If you're avoiding him/438 b/c of rumors or stuff back in 233, you're missing out big time. And fyi, much nicer in 438. Still lots of work, but trust me you'll WANT to do it

You will learn a lot in his class.. amazing teacher

He is one of the best prof in SIAT and he is the reason I am in design. The course load is heavy but try to enjoy and you will learn a lot. Be prepared for sleepless nights especially in Seattle. Some people don't like his personality but I found him super inspiring.

Take this course and become a better designer. The man has built a reputation in this faculty, and for good reason. He'll make you do a ton of work, but I guarantee you it will be some of your best work so far.

REMEMBER: Eliminate visual distractions Know the grammar French opinion soup Stay on the project road or you'll be in a ditch w/ your wheels spinning Quality control management (QCM) If you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig Gotta have a high batting average Don't play find the pony No SIAT sandwich Its in the form or it isnt YOU GOTTA CARE!

And I couldn't fit: Xiaolongbao The little man Gotta have the skillz Diverge & converge Cut off the roller wheels Show dont tell Dont design in your head No space planning No handwaving during presentations Never make a diagram of a map Design is in the form

Hands down best SIAT prof ever. Clear, intense, pushes you to work hard in whatever you do. All SIAT courses should be structured like his. Even though I am not strong in design, I learned so much.

As someone who originally wanted to be an architect, Russ was amazing, inspirational, and I learned a ton about design in general. BUT I also blacked out on the train one day after pulling an all-nighter for this class. Typically, listen to Russ' feedback, but if you have a valid, strong reason to ignore him and take a risk, please take the risk!

I learnt so much in this class, Russell has a fantastic mindset and is very rational. Show up, do your part, and learn the material and you'll do fine. He's tough in 233, but he gives praise when due and is actually really nice. Despite some claims, taking the class with your friends won't guarantee a good mark. Your group still has to earn it.

The best but hardest professor I have ever had. You literally put in 3 courses worth of work into 1, so I suggest that at most, take 3 courses, so you can put in time for yourself initially, and your team for the majority of the semester. This course will change your life for the better, and make you actually care about real design

Russell is hands-down one of the best professors I've ever had. He's a hard marker and will tear your work apart if it doesn't meet his standards but he makes it clear that it's all about the work and he has no problems with you or who you are. Russell really wants you to succeed and outside critique time he is the nicest guy. Best prof ever!

Russel is the best prof I ever had in SIAT. Passionate about design, very inspiring. Gives a detailed feedback that helps you to learn and improve. Has a great personality.

Trust me, this is a really extensive course. I mean Russell seriously pushes you to the limit and throws in immense amount of work at you every single week till the end. But he's by far the most knowledgeable instructor I have ever come across. If you put in the work, you will be rewarded with tremendous knowledge and a great experience.

If you don't like design or working really hard, you shouldn't take this class because it is extremely intensive, but if you're willing to put in the work, this class is really amazing,. Russell may seem really harsh/scary during classes, but if you try talking to him outside of class, he's actually very nice and gentle. Also portfolio class!

Russel has high standards, 1 outfit, and thinks his writing is the best thing you'll ever read. His critiques were scary, but they were also extremely helpful. I recommend taking 235 with him because he will greatly improve you as a designer, presenter, and copywriter. His critiques also really help with learning how to take criticism. (No coding)

rest in peace, you made me love the arts.

one of the best SIAT profs I've ever had. Russell was just amazing and so inspirational, he helped me and many other students open our design eyes and grow as designers. Rest in peace, RT.

Russell was one of the best professors I have ever had. His enthusiasm for design was contagious, and it made me a much better designer in the end. Rest in peace, Russell. We'll all miss you.

Based on what other people have said, I was scared to take his class, but after a couple of assignments, he became someone I was excited to take again. He pushed and made all the design students do much better because he didn't sugarcoat anything and gave proper feedback, which I and many other people needed to hear.

russell was an icon. he birthed my love for design. alot of people didnt like his way of teaching but he was the best professor ive ever had. his crits were tough but when his feedback was interpreted right you could go so far. feminist legend too btw. rest in peace king

Russell was one of the most impactful professors I've had in my life. He teaches you skills that help you succeed in the real world of design, and many of his alumni are now doing amazing work for huge companies. His courses were the best in the program. Tough but fair, and well respected.

Russell was a great teacher, he opened a door of design for me.