PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Dimitri Bugai
Ph.D.,
Hyrogeologist/Geochemist/Applied Mathematician
Summary
Dr. Bugai is an Associate Professor and Senior Researcher for the department of Geological Sciences and Numerical Mathematics,
Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences, Kiev State University Faculty of Cybernetics. Dr. Bugai was instrumental in establishing the
Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences’ Laboratory of Ground-Water Monitoring. The laboratory was established in 1993 in order
to provide hands-on research of the environmental consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The main
foci of the laboratory research are: (1)developing ground-water monitoring system in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone; (2) developing
ground-water remedial measures; (3) characterizing the degree of radiological contamination in soils, ground water and surface waters
at Chernobyl Site; and (4) modeling ground-water and radionuclide transport within the area affected by the Chernobyl accident.
Dr. Bugai’s areas of expertise include:
- Numerical modeling physical systems
- Low temperature aqueous-phase geochemistry
- Radiochemistry
- Hydrogeology
- Geology
- Ecological and biological risk assessment
Education and Affiliations
- Ph.D., Kandidat of Science (Physics and Mathematics), Kiev State University, 1991.
- B.Sc., Mathematics, Department of Numerical Mathematics, Kiev State Faculty of Cybernetics. 1983.
- Member of the National Academy of Sciences Program for Young Investigators.
- Member of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS)
- Member of the Scientific and Technical Board of the Ministry on Chernobyl Affairs of the Ukraine on Protection of Water Resources.
Representative Experience
Dr. Bugai has been involved in more than 20 major research projects related to radionuclide transport and fate within the atmosphere,
hydrosphere, and biosphere surrounding the Chernobyl site.
- Field studies on characterization of radiological ground-water contamination at Chernobyl Site.
- Assessment of the vulnerability of ground-water in the Chernobyl exclusion zone to the areal contamination caused by radioactive fall-out from accidental release;
- Modeling of radionuclide transport by ground-water from radioactive waste burial sites to the Pripyat River and local water wells.
- Review of data on transformation of Chernobyl accident radioactive fall-out particles ("hot particles") and sorption parameters of soils in the Chernobyl exclusion zone.
- Mathematical modeling of the cooling pond of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant This research covered several related issues: development of radionuclide balance model to predict changes in the radionuclide concentration in the water of the cooling pond; modeling radionuclide transport via seepage through the dam from the cooling pond to Pripyat River; analysis of the efficiency of the different remedial measures aimed to protect Pripyat River from the contamination;
- Mathematical modeling of the manganese leaching from carbonate ores.
- Mathematical modeling of salt dissolution and leaching in the foundations of the hydrotechnical constructions (1986-1989);
- Development of numerical methods to solve ground-water flow and solute transport equations ( in particular 3D advection- diffusion equation) .
Publications
Dr. Bugai teaches two classes per semester and has taught several short-courses. During this time he has published more than 20 technical papers on various aspects of radionuclide transport.
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