Born in 1949, Budapest (Hungary), father: protestant priest, mother: teacher. Nationality: Hungarian.

Siblings: 2 sisters and one brother.

In the elementary school I won the mathematics competition in the town and then entered the high school first grade in a special class for mathematics in Nagykőrös. But from the second class on I continued in a music high school in a larger town in south Hungary, Szeged. I studied music from my age of 7, first the violin then also took up the flute. In the Szeged high school I studied the flute playing.

However, after graduating from the music high school I turned over again, and made a successful entrance exam for physics major at the Roland Eötvös University, in Budapest. I graduated as a physicist in 1973. Then I started a doctorate fellowship in the largest Hungarian physics research institute, the KFKI.

In the meantime, one year before my graduation, I married my wife, who was then also a student studying for a being a high school teacher in physics and chemistry. My first son, Peter, was born in the year of my graduation. For this reason, my wife had to postpone her graduation by one year. My second son, Balazs came three years later and my daughter, Flora was born in 1983. Now, Peter works for a German biotechnology firm (Epigenomics) in Berlin as a mathematician, he obtained his PhD at the TU Berlin, so he is in Berlin for 9 years. He also has a cute daughter, Luca, my – so far only – grandchild.

Balazs become a musician, he plays the cello and he is member of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra for more then 3 years now.

Flora is studying computer science at the Budapest Technical University.

My wife is teaching physics and chemistry in one of the Budapest high schools, providing often some special programs for interested pupils.

Returning to my carrier: during my doctorate fellowship I joined an international research program (from within the Soviet Block countries), organized to carry out precise experiments in order to determine the detailed physical characteristics of the Russian designed commercial reactors of VVER type, which is quite similar to the Western PWR type (and very different from the Chernobyl type). I prepared my doctorate theses in four years, which dealt with practical and theoretical challenges of evaluating a vast amount of experimental data, which included a lot of computer application. After obtaining my doctors degree, I continued working for the KFKI, also in the field of experimental reactor physics. In 1981-82 I spent one year at the McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada as a post doctorate fellow, under the financing of the IAEA. For the second half year my wife and the two sons have also joined.

By the time I returned, the construction of the first Hungarian nuclear power station have started. The research institute, where I worked, received quite a lot of tasks to solve in this context. The main purpose of these tasks was to upgrade the original Soviet design to get as close to the Western standards, as possible. I took part (sometimes leading part) in several projects to develop specific computer-based equipment, e g. to support the physical start-up operations. These systems we also have applied abroad, i. e. in Czechoslovakia and in Bulgaria. Later I took a leading role to develop an on-line elaboration and analysis system for the in-core measurements in the reactors. The descendants of this system are still operational at the Hungarian NPP.

In 1993-1994 I was invited by the Nuclear Branch of the Westinghouse Electric Corp. which was at that time involved in the completion of the formerly abandoned construction of the Czech Temelin powerstation, which was originally started according to Soviet design (VVER-1000). I took part for 15 months in the adaptation and accuracy analysis of the Westinghouse's in-core evaluation system for that type of power station. After returning I continued participating in different projects aiming at modernizing surveillance and control systems of our NPP. I the year of 2000 I decided for a change, and applied for a job at the Hungarian nuclear safety authority. Since then I am responsible for the Authority's R&D support organization, as well as the training of the personnel of the office. I am also often involved as an expert in judging the safety respects of different license amendment applications.

(19 March 2004)