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.