CIVS Showcases at Steel Conference AISTech 2022

May 25, 2022
Chenn Zhou speaking at podium

Twelve CIVS faculty, staff, and students attended AISTech 2022 – The Iron & Steel Technology Conference and Exposition held from May 16th to May 18th, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA, presenting 8 technical papers, winning 3 prestigious awards, and demonstrating CIVS projects in an exhibition booth at this industry’s premier technology event with an almost record number of over 8000 professionals in attendance. CIVS awards include: 1st place for the Graduate Student Poster Award, 3rd place in AIST Hunt-Kelly Best Paper Award, and AIST Distinguished Member and Fellow for CIVS Director, Dr. Chenn Zhou.

Room at AISTech 2022 conference featuring tables and screens

CIVS graduate research assistant John Rosser won first place in the AIST graduate student poster contest. John’s poster, “Reducing Blast Furnace CO2 Emissions with H2,” focused on the injection of hydrogen gas into the blast furnace with the aim of reducing the process’s significant carbon footprint. His research was awarded the grand prize by a panel of judges at AISTech 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA in competition with student research from universities including CMU, Missouri S&T, and the University of Alabama.

Group of PNW attendees

Two awards from the AIST Board of Directors were given to CIVS at the President’s Breakfast with nearly 1500 attendees on May 17th.  CIVS researchers and collaborators, Nicholas J. Walla (CIVS Staff), Zhankun Luo (MCE Student), Bin Chen (PFW Faculty), Yury Krotov (Steel Dynamics, Inc.), and Dr. Chenn Q. Zhou (CIVS Director), received 2022 Hunt-Kelly Outstanding Paper Award – Third Place for their paper entitled “Smart Ladle: AI-Based Tool for Optimizing Casting Temperature”. CIVS Director Dr. Chenn Zhou was recognized as the AIST Distinguished Member and Fellow – one of two only this year.  In her acceptance speech, Dr. Zhou thanked the people who nominated and endorsed her for this great honor, the AIST board, AIST staff, Steel Manufacturing Simulation and Visualization Consortium members, all of her collaborators and sponsors, Purdue University Northwest, her colleagues, and students, CIVS, and her family.

Individual receiving President's Award

The Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) is a non-profit organization with over 18,500 members from more than 70 countries.  AIST represents a large network of steel industry professionals with tremendous knowledge and expertise. AISTech 2022 featured technologies from all over the world that help steel producers to compete more effectively in today’s global market. Over 8000 professionals attended to learn about the latest products, processes, research, technology advancements, and digitalization transformation.

PNW attendees in front of their booth