Leonid Bolshov is Director of the Nuclear Safety Institute of the
Russian Academy of Science (IBRAE). He is also Professor and
Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and holds an MD  in
physics from the Moscow State University. From 1970 to 1988, he
conducted research in the field of theory of solid surfaces, laser
fusion, plasma physics and modeling of laser‐matter interaction at
the Kurchatov Institute. In 1986, Mr Bolshov led    a group of
scientists at the Chernobyl accident site, where he developed and
implemented a series of mitigation measures. After that              
Mr Bolshov was assigned by the government to work at IBRAE, which he is currently
leading. His responsibilities include modeling and simulation for fast and thermal nuclear
reactors, system analysis for strategy of spent fuel and waste management as well as risk
assessment for both nuclear and non‐nuclear technologies. He is author/co‐author of
more than 400 scientific publications. After the Fukushima Daiichi accident, Mr Bolshov
led a group of scientists that provided on‐line analysis and forecast on accident
progression and radiological consequences for the Russian government.