Russell Merle Genet is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 research scholar and astronomer

Astronomer

An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...

, who specializes in photometric

Photometry (astronomy)

Photometry is a technique of astronomy concerned with measuring the flux, or intensity of an astronomical object's electromagnetic radiation...

 observations

Observational astronomy

Observational astronomy is a division of the astronomical science that is concerned with getting data, in contrast with theoretical astrophysics which is mainly concerned with finding out the measurable implications of physical models...

 and analysis of very short-period eclipsing

Eclipse

An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer...

 binary star

Binary star

A binary star is a star system consisting of two stars orbiting around their common center of mass. The brighter star is called the primary and the other is its companion star, comes, or secondary...

s.

Between 1964 and 1968 he worked as a rocket scientist

Aerospace engineering

Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...

 for Space and Missile Systems

Space and Missile Systems Center

The Space and Missile Systems Center is a part of Air Force Space Command of the United States Air Force. SMC is the Air Force’s product center for the development and acquisition of space and missile systems...

, San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California

San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. Between 1969 and 1975 he worked as a mathematical analyst

Mathematical analysis

Mathematical analysis, which mathematicians refer to simply as analysis, has its beginnings in the rigorous formulation of infinitesimal calculus. It is a branch of pure mathematics that includes the theories of differentiation, integration and measure, limits, infinite series, and analytic functions...

 for Aerospace Guidance System Center, Newark

Newark, Ohio

In addition, the remains of a road leading south from the Octagon have been documented and explored. It was first surveyed in the 19th century, when its walls were more apparent. Called the Great Hopewell Road, it may extend to the Hopewell complex at Chillicothe, Ohio...

, Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

. Since then until 1990 he worked as a research supervisor

Research supervisor

A research supervisor is responsible for the general oversight of an academic research project.Research Associates liaise with their research supervisor on a regular basis to advise him or her on the research status and receive any guidelines.Research supervisor for post-doctoral research usually...

 for Air Force Human Resources Laboratory, Dayton

Dayton, Ohio

Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...

, Ohio, and Mesa

Mesa, Arizona

According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...

, Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

.

In 1979 he founded the Fairborn Observatory, which he later moved to Mount Hopkins

Mount Hopkins (Arizona)

Mount Hopkins is a mountain in Santa Cruz County, Arizona part of the Santa Rita Mountains range. Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory is located on it. It is within the Coronado National Forest and was named after Gilbert Hopkins who was killed nearby in 1865 during the Battle of Fort Buchanan....

, Arizona, and worked there until 1993. He was also its first director, until 1989. Genet and his colleagues developed robotic telescope

Robotic telescope

A robotic telescope is an astronomical telescope and detector system that makes observations without the intervention of a human. In astronomical disciplines, a telescope qualifies as robotic if it makes those observations without being operated by a human, even if a human has to initiate the...

s there. It became the first totally automatic robotic observatory in the world. It appeared in the documentary of the Public Broadcasting Service

Public Broadcasting Service

The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....

 The Perfect Stargazer. He also established the magazine IAPPP Communications, the first international astronomical photometry journal. In 1983 he received the Amateur Achievement Award of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Astronomical Society of the Pacific

The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is a scientific and educational organization, founded in San Francisco on February 7, 1889. Its name derives from its origins on the Pacific Coast, but today it has members all over the country and the world...

 for his photometric studies and in 1986 the Leslie Peltier Award of the Astronomical League

Astronomical League

The Astronomical League is an umbrella organization of amateur astronomy societies. Currently their membership consists of over 240 organizations across the United States, along with a number of Members-at-Large, Patrons, and Supporting members....

. After Genet left this observatory, he founded the Orion Observatory in Santa Margarita

Santa Margarita, California

Santa Margarita is a census-designated place located in San Luis Obispo County, California. It was founded in 1897 near Cuesta Peak and San Luis Obispo along State Route 58. The town's name comes from the Mexican Alta California land grant. It is home to the Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia...

, California.

In 1993 Genet was elected the 51st president of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and served in this position for two years. Throughout his career, he taught at Central Arizona College

Central Arizona College

Central Arizona College is a public community college located in Coolidge, Arizona. "CAC," as the school is commonly known, serves the population of Pinal County.The school's sports teams are called the Vaqueros and the colors are green and gold...

, California Polytechnic State University

California Polytechnic State University

California Polytechnic State University, or Cal Poly, is a public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, United States. The university is one of two polytechnic campuses in the 23-member California State University system....

's Osher Institute and Cuesta College

Cuesta College

Cuesta College is a public community college located in San Luis Obispo County near the Central Coast of California. It currently offers 76 Associate's degree programs and 96 certificate programs...

. In 2007 he published the book Humanity: The Chimpanzees Who Would Be Ants.

While teaching at Cuesta College, Genet taught an astronomy research seminar that required students to publish their results.

On November 17, 2001 Genet married Cheryl Linda Davidson.

Publications

Books as author or co-author:

• Real-Time Control With the TRS-80, 1982, Howard W. Sams, Indianapolis.
• Photoelectric Photometry of Variable Stars, first edition 1982, second, enlarged edition 1988, Willmann-Bell, Richmond.
• Microcomputer Control of Telescopes, 1985, Willmann-Bell, Richmond.
• Supernova 1987A: Astronomy’s Explosive Enigma, 1987, Fairborn Press, Mesa.
• Robotic Observatories, 1989, AutoScope, Mesa.
• Telescope Control Handbook, 1997, Willmann-Bell, Richmond.
• The Chimpanzees Who Would Be Ants: The Evolutionary Epic of Humanity, 1998, Nova Scientific, Huntington (NY).
• Humanity: The Chimpanzees Who Would Be Ants, 2007, Collins Foundation Press, Santa Margarita (CA).

Books as co-editor::

• The Evolution of Religion: Studies, Theories, and Critiques, 2008, Eds. J. Bulbulia, R. Sosis, E. Harris, R. Genet, C. Genet, K. Wyman, Collins Foundation Press, Santa Margarita (CA).
• The Evolutionary Epic: Science's Story and Humanity's Response, 2009, Eds. C. Genet, R. Genet, B. Swimme, L. Palmer, L. Gibler, Collins Foundation Press, Santa Margarita (CA).
• Small Telescopes and Astronomical Research, 2010, Eds. R. Genet, J. Johnson, V. Wallen, Collins Foundation Press, Santa Margarita (CA).
• The Alt-Az Initiative: Telescope, Mirror, & Instrument Developments, 2010, Eds. R. Genet, J. Johnson, V. Wallen, Collins Foundation Press, Santa Margarita (CA).