John Large obituary

Consulting engineer known for his work on nuclear safety who was never afraid to take on such a powerful industryJohn Large ’s working life was split into two halves, the first spent designing civil and military nuclear reactors and the second trying to make sure the industry was kept safe from accidents, nuclear waste and security threats. In this later role as a consulting engineer John was a dangerous opponent for t he secretive nuclear establishment because his inside knowledge gave him the ability to ask difficult questions and expose weaknesses. He was never afraid to speak truth to power, although it took courage to take on such a powerful industry.Despite his chosen role as an outsider, John ’s abilities meant he had an astonishing list of clients ranging from the Russian Federation, the British government, theInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Greenpeace International. He was invited by the IAEA to China, North Korea and Iran, and by others to the US and Japan, to give advice on their nuclear programmes and the risks they posed.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Nuclear power Physics Bees Energy industry Environment Engineering Kursk submarine tragedy London Source Type: news