Refractory Systems and Ladle & Secondary Refining Technology Committees Joint Meeting

23 October 2025 • Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza • Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Tour of Cleveland-Cliffs Middletown  

►Agenda (PDF)
►Register or contact ldlugopolski@aist.org

AIST technology committee members are asked to print out the latest revised meeting agenda from our website one week prior to this meeting.

Thursday, 23 October 2025

  Tour:

  1. Cleveland-Cliffs Middletown Works depart via bus from hotel  <8:00 a.m.>
  2. Return from tour and committee lunch    <Noon>

Meeting:

  1. Chair’s opening remarks – Abhishek Bhansali and Angelo Cristante    <1:00 p.m.> 
  2. Appoint minute-taker
  3. Antitrust guidelines
  4. Membership and attendance

LSRTC — current membership: X, new members: X

RSTC   — current membership: X, new members: X

  1. Review minutes of previous meeting
  2. AIST Staff Announcements
  3. Safety Discussion and review Steel Industry Fatalities
  4. Main agenda items
    • AISTech session development – Judy Li and Ashraf Hanna
      • Selection of Abstracts (Due by 16 Sept) 
      • Review & determine session structure (Due by 28 Oct) including session titles & session chairs
      • Review Papers Chair and Session Chair instructions
        • Paper Chair Role—This position is a leadership role within a Technology Committee or Subcommittee tasked with the development of AISTech technical sessions and the management and oversight of the Technology Committee session chairs. The role of Papers Chair is to ensure authors are in compliance with AIST policies for paper and presentation submissions and to ensure that authors register.  Many of these tasks are delegated to the Session Chairs but the Papers Chair is ultimately responsible for the development and execution of the Technology Committee’s AISTech technical sessions. The Papers Chair may also be responsible in coordinating the selection of the Technology Committee’s Best Paper Award winner (if applicable).
        • The Paper Chair role also includes membership on the Board of Director’s Conference Planning Committee (CPC).  The CPC meets four times throughout the year to plan and review details related to the AISTech conference. Participation in the CPC meetings is highly recommended as it provides insight to the development and execution of the world’s largest annual iron and steel conference and exposition.  Participation can be in person or by video conference.
        • Session Chair Role— This position supports the Papers Chair of the respective technology committee by communicating to the authors on topic content as well as on missing or late submission of required information. The Session Chairs will review and evaluate the paper and presentation files for content as well as for publication and awards (an evaluation form will be provided). Your AIST staff engineer will provide staff support to ensure your success in fulfilling the duties of a Session Chair. Session chairs are also on site at the AISTech conference in their session room to facilitate the flow of the session including introducing speakers, moderating question and answer sessions, as well as handing out certificates.
    • Finalize AISTech call for papers for next year
      • LSRTC: The processes of heating/cooling, chemistry control, slag treatment, desulfurization/decarburization, degassing, stirring, shape control and inclusion modification; utilizing the support systems of ladles; refractory interactions with steel and slag; ladle transport; flow control; stirring systems; utilities; fume control; additions; equipment; and environmental impact.
      • RSTC: Laboratory developments and evaluations of new refractory products and systems; field trials of new refractory products and systems in all areas of cokemaking, ironmaking, steelmaking, continuous casting, and finishing; effects of operational conditions or variables on the performances of refractory systems; recycling of used refractories into new refractory products.
    • Technology committee award planning
      • Ladle & Secondary Refining Best Paper
      • Refractory Systems Best Paper
    • Technology Training conference
      • Steelmaking Refractories Fundamentals
        • 21-23 October 2025 Recap
        • October 2026 Planning
  5. Discussion items
  6. TBD
  7. Presentations
  8. TBD
  9. Next meeting

 LSRTC — TBD

RSTC   — TBD

  1. Chair conclusion – Abhishek Bhansali and Angelo Cristante
  2. Adjourn       <4:00 p.m.>