Detailed Biography
Professor Fedotov earned his graduate degree from the Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, RAS, following his graduation in geology from Lomonosov Moscow State University in 1953. His extensive field work in the Kuril Islands shaped a career-long dedication to understanding the earthquake and volcanic processes of the Kuril–Kamchatka trench. He introduced the concept of the seismic cycle into seismology and developed a proprietary technique for long-term earthquake prediction. As founder and long-time editor-in-chief of the journal Volcanology and Seismology, and as President of the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (1979–1983), he exerted global scientific leadership. His expert advocacy famously prevented the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky region, underscoring his commitment to public safety. He authored some 400 scientific publications and received numerous national awards for his contributions to seismic safety and national security.