2017 Bessemer lecture: progress in steel product research to advance the industry and society^*

* This article is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Bruno De Cooman. The steel product development community lost a notable scientist and a good friend due to his untimely passing in August of 2018. We remember him fondly, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

ABSTRACT

Steel development has been ongoing for generations and has enabled steel to play an important role in modern society. We might consider that metallurgists are often unsung heroes of this progress where product and process development have enabled technological progress, and steel developments are occurring faster than ever in some areas today. Last year’s Bessemer lecture links the speaker’s background with Bessemer Award history, and celebrates some of the heroes of steel product development that have impacted him, and have also impacted society and the development of the steel industry.

KEYWORDS:

• Steel product development
• alloying
• microalloying
• Bessemer

Acknowledgements

Interactions with many students and collaborators over the years, and support of the sponsors of the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center, are gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

* This article is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Bruno De Cooman. The steel product development community lost a notable scientist and a good friend due to his untimely passing in August of 2018. We remember him fondly, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.