Constantin Min
President of IARS
01 / 08
Institute for Risk Analysis and Strategic Resilience
Bucharest
14:37
EET
Understanding Risk. Building Resilience. Supporting Better Decisions.
IARS connects nuclear and radiological preparedness, risk analysis, human factors and strategic communication in a world shaped by uncertainty.
Why IARS?
Complex risks do not respect the boundaries of institutions or disciplines.
A technical event can become an operational, institutional, informational and social challenge all at once. A delayed decision, an unclear responsibility or information that arrives too late can amplify the effects of a situation that was initially manageable.
Real preparedness therefore takes more than plans and procedures. It takes the capacity to anticipate, to decide, to coordinate, to communicate and to sustain trust when information is incomplete and time is short.
IARS was created to connect these dimensions and to turn risk analysis into a real capacity to act.
02 / 08
Who we are
Risk understood. Nuclear expertise. A multidisciplinary perspective. Strategic resilience.
IARS - the Institute for Risk Analysis and Strategic Resilience - is an independent institute for expertise, research, education and dialogue, built on applied experience in nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness.
We connect technical expertise, operational preparedness, decision-making, institutional coordination, communication and human factors, so that organisations can manage complex risks and act responsibly under uncertainty.
We examine not only what could happen, but whether the plans, the people, the information and the institutions can work together when it matters.
The experience gained in the nuclear and radiological field is the foundation from which we extend the IARS approach to critical infrastructure and to other strategic, systemic and emerging risks.
Our model is multidisciplinary: we analyse not only the nature of a risk, but also the capacity to respond, how people behave, how information travels and the trust on which cooperation depends.
03 / 08
Areas of expertise
We treat risk as a complex system.
Threats, vulnerabilities, response capacity, human behaviour and public trust are subsystems of the same system, and they shape one another.
[ Five areas ]
How a risk propagates through a system
Systems are not independent.
A failure does not stay where it started.
Preparedness is where it stops.
Understanding risk. Building resilience.
04 / 08
What we do
Active
01
/ 05
From technical safety to resilience and trust.
We combine applied research, independent assessments, strategic advisory, training, exercises and policy dialogue to turn knowledge into a real capacity to act. Our work starts from concrete problems and aims at results that can be used in decision-making, preparedness and response.
Research & Analysis
01
Studies · Assessments · Reports
We produce studies, assessments, reports and applied analysis on strategic risk, resilience, preparedness, communication and human factors.
Advisory
02
Institutions · Decision-makers
We offer independent support to institutions and organisations that have to decide under pressure or prepare for high-impact risks.
Training & Education
03
Courses · Workshops · Leadership
We develop courses, masterclasses and workshops that combine concepts with real situations, decisions and practical exercises.
Exercises & Simulations
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Scenarios · Lessons learned
Exercises turn plans into practice.
Policy Dialogue
05
Roundtables · Consultations
Complex risks cannot be managed by a single actor.
05 / 08
Exercises
[ Documented track record ]
Preparedness tested through exercises.
Exercises are where preparedness is tested rather than assumed. Below are the exercises documented by the Institute, with their context, scope and public outputs.
Valahia 2023
01
3-5 October 2023 · Romania
National nuclear emergency response exercise organised by CNCAN, testing the National Response Plan at the Cernavodă NPP.
ConvEx-3 2025
02
24-25 June 2025 · Romania as host
Seventh IAEA ConvEx-3 exercise, hosted by Romania twenty years after the first - with a regional approach and nuclear security components.
06 / 08
News and events
News, analysis and events on strategic risk, resilience, preparedness, communication and human behaviour.
The content is written for professionals and decision-makers looking for clear explanations, context and ideas they can apply.
News
Case Study on Romania’s Nuclear Diplomacy: Balancing Technology and Security in the Context of the Green Transition and Regional Resilience
As Europe faces the twin imperatives of decarbonization and strategic autonomy, nuclear energy has re-emerged as a critical component of the continent’s energy and security architecture. Romania offers a compelling case study of how a mid-sized country can leverage its nuclear program not only to support climate goals, but to reinforce regional resilience and exert regulatory influence. This article examines the evolution of Romania’s nuclear diplomacy focusing on the transformation of its regulatory authority National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) into a platform of soft power, regional cooperation, and technical leadership. By integrating emergency preparedness systems, piloting the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs), and anchoring European safety standards in the Black Sea region, Romania contributes to a new paradigm where nuclear regulation becomes a geopolitical asset. The Romanian example illustrates how technical competence and regulatory trust can serve broader goals of energy transition, strategic credibility, and cross-border stability.
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News
From Search-and-Rescue to Nuclear Scenarios: AI-Enabled UAS for Disaster Management, Security, and Ecosystem Monitoring
Radiological emergencies present unique challenges due to the urgency of protective actions, hazardous environments, and the need for rapid situational assessment. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs), enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI), offer transformative capabilities in this domain, integrating radiation mapping, search-and-rescue optimization, and ecosystem monitoring to strengthen nuclear safety and emergency response. This article documents a framework perspective for AI-enabled autonomous UAS systems, combining infrared, visual, and Compton camera imaging with real-time machine learning for precise hazard detection and environmental assessment based on available technologies. Operational scenarios co-designed with the help of direct involved parties demonstrate UAS applications in nuclear disaster management, infrastructure security, and post-incident ecological monitoring, highlighting their ability to reduce human exposure, enhance situational awareness, and support informed decision-making. Future research directions include cross-border collaboration to improve preparedness and response for nuclear or radiological incidents.
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News
Airborne concentrations and chemical considerations of radioactive ruthenium from an undeclared major nuclear release in 2017
In October 2017, most European countries reported unique atmospheric detections of aerosol-bound radioruthenium (106Ru). The range of concentrations varied from some tenths of µBq·m−3 to more than 150 mBq·m−3. The widespread detection at such considerable (yet innocuous) levels suggested a considerable release. To compare activity reports of airborne 106Ru with different sampling periods, concentrations were reconstructed based on the most probable plume presence duration at each location. Based on airborne concentration spreading and chemical considerations, it is possible to assume that the release occurred in the Southern Urals region (Russian Federation). The 106Ru age was estimated to be about 2 years. It exhibited highly soluble and less soluble fractions in aqueous media, high radiopurity (lack of concomitant radionuclides), and volatility between 700 and 1,000 °C, thus suggesting a release at an advanced stage in the reprocessing of nuclear fuel. The amount and isotopic characteristics of the radioruthenium release may indicate a context with the production of a large 144Ce source for a neutrino experiment.
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07 / 08
The IARS team
IARS brings together a multidisciplinary community of professionals who connect practical experience, research and institutional understanding.
The diversity of perspectives helps us examine risk beyond the limits of any single discipline.
Luciana-Elena Petrescu
Vice-president of IARS
Costin Urlățeanu
Secretary General of IARS
Petre Min, PhD
Honorary President of IARS
Ruxandra Săpoi, PhD
Dan Șerbănescu, PhD
Cristian Vizitiu, PhD
Partners & recognition
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0102030405
Placeholders - logos go in once each partnership is confirmed.
[ Institute for Risk Analysis and Strategic Resilience ]
Independent expertise for complex risks and resilient decisions.
08 / 08
Collaborate with us
Resilience is built together.
We work with institutions, organisations, experts and professional communities on projects that turn analysis into preparedness and action. If you face a challenge that calls for complementary perspectives, an independent assessment or a framework for dialogue, we would like to talk.
[Collaborate with IARS]