Korea Iron & Steel Association Holds 9th Steel Industry-Academia Project Final Report Meeting

Participation of POSCO, Hyundai Steel and Others
Presentation of University Student Research Outcomes
Sharing of Industry-Academia Collaboration Results
Awards for Outstanding Projects

The Steel Industry Human Resources Development Council of the Korea Iron & Steel Association announced on the 10th that it held the final report meeting of the 9th Steel Industry-Academia Project at the KT Human Resources Development Center in Daejeon on the 5th and concluded the event.

Commemorative photo at the final report meeting of the steel industry-academia project. Provided by the Korea Iron & Steel Association

Researchers from POSCO, Hyundai Steel, Dongkuk Steel, Dongkuk CM, SeAH Besteel, SeAH Changwon Integrated Special Steel, and KG Steel, as well as undergraduate students majoring in metallurgy from seven universities including Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Pusan National University, Inha University, Hanyang University, Yeungnam University, Changwon National University, and Chungnam National University, attended the event. The students presented the results of the research projects they had carried out over about four months since the orientation in August last year, and one team was selected for the Grand Prize and two teams for the Excellence Prize.

The Grand Prize went to the team from Seoul National University of Science and Technology (mentored by SeAH Besteel), which studied "Changes in Hydrogen Embrittlement Behavior According to Microstructural Factor Variations in Ferrite-Pearlite Steels." The team received the Association Chairman's Award along with prize money of 1 million won. The research team analyzed how changes in the morphology and distribution of pearlite in ferrite-pearlite steels affect resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, through microstructural analysis, evaluation of mechanical properties via hardness and tensile testing, and assessment of hydrogen embrittlement resistance based on slow strain rate testing (SSRT).

The Excellence Prize was awarded to the team from Hanyang University (mentored by Hyundai Steel), which studied "Identification of the Effect of Slag on Inclusion Formation Behavior in Si-Deoxidized Steels," and the team from Pusan National University (mentored by POSCO), which studied "Prediction of Fracture Properties of Materials Using AI." Each of the two teams received the Association Chairman's Award and prize money of 500,000 won.

Now in its ninth year, the Steel Industry-Academia Project is being promoted as part of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's Industrial Innovation Talent Growth Support Program and is operated mainly for undergraduate metallurgy majors located in steel industrial complex regions.

Students participating in the project carry out research projects aimed at solving practical problems in the field together with mentors from steel companies, and are also given opportunities to visit corporate research laboratories and use advanced experimental equipment.

An official from the Korea Iron & Steel Association said, "The Steel Industry-Academia Project is the most highly regarded industry-academia cooperation program among the steel SC projects and has continued for nine consecutive years," adding, "We will continue to spare no effort in supporting the cultivation of outstanding talent."

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