A. A. Vasil’ev, the Doctor of Science (Geography), professor, Honored Meteorologist of the Russian Federation, Chief Scientific Officer of Hydrometcentre of Russia, was born on October 23, 1937 in Karavainka settlement of the Stalingrad oblast.

His activity started in the Central Forecasting Institute (nowadays, the Hydrometcentre of Russia) after the graduation from the Leningrad Hydrometeorological Institute in 1961. In 1966, he defended the PhD dissertation and in 1989, the Doctor’s thesis “Atmospheric Turbulence Affecting Aircraft Flights and Its Forecasting”. In 1994 A. A. Vasil’ev was appointed professor. He has more than 90 scientific and methodological publications in the field of synoptic and aviation meteorology.

During his work in the Hydrometcentre of Russia he held the positions of junior scientific officer, senior scientific officer, head of division, deputy director, and, from 1981 to 1999, director. In 1999, he was transferred to scientific work at his request.

His international activity is widely known. He wintered at McMurdo Antarctic station (USA) in the framework of scientific exchange in 1969, worked in the WMO Secretariat in Geneva from 1973 to 1977, was twice elected the vice-president of the WMO Commission for Basic Systems and also twice the president of this commission and held these positions during 18 years. He was awarded the WMO honorary diploma for the great contribution to the development of World Weather Watch in 2001.

A. A. Vasil’ev is the chairman of the Council of Dissertation Defense of Hydrometcentre of Russia and a member of Dissertation Board of the Geography Faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU).

He spends a lot of time for research and educational activity and lectures, supervises postgraduate students and their theses, heads the State Examining Board of the MSU Geography Faculty.