Since 1997 Rector of Irkutsk State University, Professor.
Alexander Smirnov was born in Rzhev of the Kalinin Oblast on August 3 1949 in the family of a serviceman. In 1971 he graduated from Faculty of Chemistry of Irkutsk State University. In September 1980, he was appointed Pro-Rector of Evening and Distance Studies. In February 1989, A.I. Smirnov became Pro-Rector of Scientific Research. A.I. Smirnov is Head of Chair of Organic Chemistry (since 1993) and Head of UNESCO Chair in Water Resources (since 2001). In 1995, he was elected Member of the Russian Ecological Academy, in 1999 –Member of the International Academy of Sciences of Higher School. In 1999, A.I. Smirnov was awarded a badge “Honored Worker of Russian Higher Professional Education”, Order of Peoples` Friendship, and in 2006 Order of Worship. In 2000, he became a winner of the Russian Federation Government prize for contribution to education.
A.I. Smirnov is a famous specialist in the sphere of polymer chemistry. He participates in integrated studies on natural waters and analyzes the data obtained to estimate the environment in zones of anthropogenic influence. The results of scientific research were reported at 39 international and Russian conferences, symposia, and congresses. Being Rector, A.I. Smirnov strives for deepening and widening of academic and higher school science interaction with educational process in order to improve the quality of specialist training.
Under A.I. Smirnov`s supervision, there have been prepared and defended 6 Ph.D. and 2 doctoral theses. He has got 7 inventor’s certificates and published 120 scientific works. He is a distinguished scientist and teacher in the Russian scientific world.
A.I. Smirnov likes to spend his spare time in the country and listen to classical music. His favorite writers are Dostoevsky, Bulgakov, Astafjev, and Akunin.
His wife Marina is an economist. His elder daughter Zhanna is a militia officer and younger daughter Irene is a specialist of the East-Siberian Regional Federal Court of Arbitration.