On April 27 2019 Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Nikolai Andreevich Korneev, the first director of RIRAE, a prominent scientist in the field of agricultural radiology, radioecology and feed production, has passed away.

KORNEEV Nikolay Andreevich

(5.05.1923-27.04.2019)

N. A. Korneev - Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Laureate of the USSR State Prize, Veteran of the Nuclear Industry, Honorary Citizen of Obninsk, Veteran of the Great Patriotic War, participant in the defense of Sevastopol.

Korneev Nikolai Andreevich was born on May 5, 1923, in the village of Treskino, Penza Province. In June 1941 he became a cadet of the Sevastopol naval school of coastal defense, and in November of the same year he was seriously wounded in the battles for Sevastopol. After demobilization in 1943, he entered and in 1948 graduated from the Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K.A. Timiryazev.

Working from 1948 to 1956 at the Ural Oblast Agricultural Experimental Station (Kazakhstan), he formulated a number of proposals for stabilizing the forage base of the region, which played an important role during the period of intensive plowing of virgin and fallow lands. Works on fodder production, agrotechnical techniques, the study of natural hayfields and pastures were continued by him in 1956-1960 as head of the laboratory and deputy director at the Vladimir Agricultural Experimental Station. Testing the method of labeled atoms at the station in the study of phosphorus nutrition of plants allowed to go to V. Klechkovsky, who at that time headed the department of agrochemistry at the Timiryazev Agricultural Academy.

1960 turned out to be a turning point in the scientific biography of Nikolai Korneev: he was appointed head of the Experimental Research Station (ONIS) of the Mayak Chemical Plant (South Urals), where the largest accident in the nuclear industry occurred in 1957. Under the leadership of N. Korneev. large-scale radioecological studies were launched and measures were taken to organize the production of agricultural products that corresponded to radiological standards (there was practically no such experience at that time). Academician V.M. Klechkovsky was responsible for the scientific leadership of the ONIS program of work on agricultural and general radioecology. In 1964, N.A. Korneyev with co-authors (edited by V. Klechkovsky) prepared "Recommendations for the management of agriculture and forestry in areas with increased radioactivity", which had no world analogues.

From 1969 to 1973, Korneev worked as deputy director of the All-Union Research Institute of Feed named after Williams , where he continued research in the field of feeding using the achievements of radiology (in particular, methods of radionuclide indicators).

In 1973, Korneev was appointed director of the All-Union Research Institute of Agricultural Radiology (now RIRAE), which he headed for more than fifteen years and made a great contribution to its formation and development.

Scientific and practical experience N.A. Korneyev was in demand after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986. N.A. Korneyev, heading the Commission of Scientific Experts on Agricultural Radiology of the USSR State Agricultural Committee, carried out the management of integrated radioecological studies aimed at eliminating the consequences of this world's largest radiation catastrophe. Under his leadership, a system of agriculture management in polluted zones has been developed, implemented over large areas of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

The results of the works of N. A. Korneev are summarized in a series of monographs that are fundamental in agricultural radiology.

The fruitful 70-year-old scientific and organizational activity of Nikolai Andreevich Korneev was notable by high awards of the country: he was awarded the title of Laureate of the USSR State Prize, awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor, Labor Red Banner, Friendship of Peoples. He was awarded the title of "Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation", the title of "Honorary Citizen of Obninsk."

In 2002, by the decision of the Presidium of the Russian Agricultural Academy N.A. Korneyev was first awarded the Gold Medal named after V. M. Klechkovsky - as a worthy student and successor of the teacher.

The life of N. A. Korneev is an example of honest and disinterested service to the Motherland, which he defended during the war and for the sake of which he devoted more than 60 years to agricultural radiology, receiving, besides titles and awards, a greater appreciation, sincere respect and love of students and colleagues.