Joseph Russegger (November 18, 1802 - June 20, 1863) was an Austrian geologist who was a native of Salzburg.
In 1825 he graduated from the Mining and Forestry Academy at Schemnitz, and subsequently worked for the Austrian government as a manager of mines at Böckstein near Bad Gastein.
From 1836 to 1838 he was leader of a scientific expedition to Cilicia, Syria, Egypt and the Sudan, of which he was accompanied by botanist Theodor Kotschy (1813-1866). In Egypt, at the request of Viceroy Mohammed Ali (1769-1849), he carried out geognostic and geological investigations of the country and participated in gold panning activities in southern Sudan. On his return trip home, he performed scientific studies in southern Europe. As a result of the expedition, he published the 7-volume Reisen in Europa, Asien und Afrika (1841-50).
In 1843 he was appointed administrator of the salt mines at Groß Salze, and in 1850 became director of the Mining and Forestry Academy at Schemnitz. In 1848 he became a member of the Vienna Academy of Sciences.