Based on his extensive experience of working on the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident, Prof. Jim Smith will discuss risks of radioactivity and how the media influence recovery of affected populations. Myths surrounding health consequences of radiation have contributed to ongoing psychological, social and economic problems in “contaminated” areas around Chernobyl. Prof. Smith will talk about the work he is doing in Ukraine on re-use of contaminated lands and his ATOMIK Spirits project.

Jim Smith is Professor of Environmental Science at Portsmouth University and an expert in modelling radioactive pollution in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. He has co-ordinated four multinational projects on the environmental consequences of the Chernobyl accident and has regularly worked in the Exclusion Zone. He is lead author of a major book on the accident: Chernobyl: Catastrophe and Consequences and authored key opinion pieces in Nature and Science on the Fukushima accident. He has been a member of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Expert Groups on Chernobyl and Fukushima and is currently a member of the UK Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE).

Jim is married with two children. He spends most of his "leisure" time taking them to and watching them play football!

There is a possibility of having a free spirit tasting after the talk, from crops grown on the land Jim will be talking about, for those who are interested. Some of the profits of his ATOMIK spirits project go back to the Ukraine, to help the local community.