The CESAREF team recently participated in the International Colloquium on Refractories (ICR®2024), held in Aachen, Germany, from 18-19 September 2024. The event proved to be an exciting and productive platform for our PhD students, who actively contributed to key discussions on the future of refractories and sustainable solutions for the industry.

The conference kicked-off with the “Talent Challenge” session during the opening ceremony. CESAREF PhD students, Paula Campos De Oliveira, took the stage to discuss strategies for attracting and retaining the next generation of talent in the refractories sector. This session was hosted by keynote speaker Simon Schnetzer and reflected well one of CESAREF’s key objectives.

Throughout the con

ference, our PhD students delivered insightful presentations on diverse topics in refractory materials and their applications. Sarah Badioli emphasized the significance of data quality for a robust Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), while Mathilda Derensy reviewed the potential of metallurgical residues as raw materials for refractories. Fatemeh Azizi discussed the use of mathematical models for thermal mana

gement in steel ladles, and Andrea Salerno explored the evaluation of tundish lining refractories through numerical simulations and post-mortem analysis.

In addition, Amit Kumar Gope presented work on using deep neural networks to predict clogging events in continuous casting, while Cristian Bohorquez Moreno presented the i

mpact of hydrogen on the microstructure of high-alumina refractories. Milena Gomes provided an in-depth literature review on the implications of hydrogen use in steelmaking for refractory materials and Molla Ewnete showcased his research on the sintering of alumina-magnesia ceramics in the poster section. Kwasi Boateng’s study on the microstructure of alumina-spinel castables was presented by Prof. Marc Huger.

Beyond these technical sessions, several of CESAREF’s senior members also delivered inspiring talks. Jean-Michel Auvray, Christoph Wöhrmeyer, and Ratana Soth from Imerys, Dietmar Grüber from MUL, H

ong Peng from Elkem, Daniela Gavagnin from RHI Magnesita and Thorsten Tonnesen from TU Aachen shared valuable insights with the next generation of professionals.

A particularly noteworthy moment at ICR®2024 was the panel discussion on diversity and the role of women in the refractories industry, which featured CESAREF PhDs Milena Gope and Paula Campos De Oliveira, as well as senior member Daniela Gavagnin. They joined Katy Moss and Annika Mertke in a thought-provoking conversation following an inspiring keynote speech by Steve Schmiedel. This panel, promoted by the Women at Refractories initiative, highlighted the importance of diversity and inclusion in advancing the industry. CESAREF is proud to have supported this important discussion and is grateful to the event organizers; Kerstin Hauke, Charlotte Linden and Tobias Steffen; for their efforts in promoting such a meaningful event.