In 1953, Russell earned his Bachelor degree in physics and graduated from Reed College in Portland. Afterwards he went to work as a Physicist in General Electric's nearby labs in Richland, where his wife Barbara worked as a chemist. At GE, working for the Hanford Nuclear Plant, and appointed as a "designated problem-solver" for GE experimental unit, Russell initiated many experimental instrumentation projects. He was among the first to use a color TV screen and keyboard as the main interface between computer and operator. He also designed and built the first electron beam welder.
In 1950s and early 1960s, Russell, who was an avid music listener (he was found of classical music—Beethoven, Chopin, Mussorgsky, Offenbach. etc.), quite frustrated with the wear and tear of his vinyl records and their poor sound quality, tried to improve the record player. Initially he tried using a cactus needle, instead of steel one, for a stylus, but with no success. "After each record you had to resharpen the needle," he recalled.