CISR forges on after 40 years

Pittsburgh is often referred to as the “steel city” in recognition of Andrew Carnegie’s industrial empire that launched the city as a hub for iron foundries and steel mills. With the city’s rich history and connections to these industries, it is only fitting that Carnegie Mellon University has been home to the Center for Iron and Steelmaking Research (CISR) for the past 40 years. As the methods of production of iron and steel have evolved over the years, so too have the research efforts of the center.

CISR was established in 1985 as an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) with support from 11 companies, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and Carnegie Mellon University. The late professor Richard Fruehan led the effort from Carnegie Mellon as the center launched its initial research endeavors.

“At the time that I came to Carnegie Mellon, the large steel companies like US Steel and Bethlehem Steel were all downsizing their research laboratories, doing away with basic academic research,” said Fruehan in 2017, when he reflected on CISR. “So I came up with the concept of having them join a center in which they would give financial resources to (us) and we would do basic, long-term research and share the results with them.”

The partnerships between member companies and CMU students and faculty have been mutually beneficial since the Center’s inception. Any member organization can suggest projects, and then faculty work with the member to develop the scope and coordinate work with students who in turn share their research findings.

Alan Cramb joined the CMU faculty in 1986 and played a key role in the initial research efforts of the Center. Along with Fruehan and Professor Hani Henein, Cramb worked extensively on securing funding for projects of interest identified by industry members. The initial scope of research covered three major areas: the production of iron and steel, computer modeling of production processes, and steel refining and solidification. Since its founding, the Center has focused on the value of long-term research projects. 

“One of the first rallying calls of research was that nothing should be short term,” said Cramb. “The understanding was that research could become very company specific, and not every company has the same short-term goals. We tried to work only on projects that could span five to 10 years and would provide the greatest value for members.”

In its early years, the Center focused on new processes, for example, a direct steel making technique that focused on smelting and the development of new casting processes, such as strip casting, which produces thin sheets of steel by pouring molten steel between two counter-rotating rolls.

Sridhar Seetharaman, who has made research contributions in many areas of process metallurgy, arrived at CMU as an assistant professor in 1999, and later went on to be co-director of the center in 2007. While there were many steel companies still based in Pennsylvania at that time, the international presence in the industry was growing. Seetharaman noted that the combination of the prestige of the University coupled with the opportunities for industrial application made the program stand out.

“The knowledge and technical expertise gained through involvement with the Center is unique in that those involved can truly understand industry needs,” he said.

As the Center has progressed, there have been both changes and constants. CISR has gained international attention throughout its tenure, supporting as many as 25 steel companies at its peak membership. While the overall number of member organizations has decreased—largely in part to company mergers and acquisitions—the impact of the research remains significant.

The Center received its initial funding from the NSF to support its operations, but for the past 25 years, the CISR has been completely self-sufficient, with the majority of its support coming from industry partners. During the past fifteen years, CISR has also received significant funding from the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST), the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI), the Department of Energy (DOE), and individual grants from NSF.

Current Co-Director Chris Pistorius credits the Center with attracting him to pursue a career at Carnegie Mellon. He became aware of CISR when Fruehan would travel to South Africa to work and teach courses in the 1990s. After spending time at CMU for a sabbatical in 1998, Pistorius maintained contact with Freuhan and was hired as a faculty member in 2008.

Pistorius says that while tools for measurement and analysis have evolved, many of the project themes have remained the same. For example, the Center has always been interested in more sustainable ironmaking, but the emphasis on hydrogen, natural gas and CO₂ intensity has a stronger emphasis in recent years.

The future of the CISR program is strong, as it has solidified its reputation within the steel industry worldwide. From the inception of the program, students have played an active role. As they have worked with industry partners, they are now leading the way in both corporate and academic settings. Professor Bryan Webler, an alumnus of the program, co-directs the Center alongside Pistorius.

“Working with the center that was an integral part of my graduate experience has been rewarding in many ways, none more so than working with students as they make scientific discoveries and become independent researchers. The education that CISR offers is special, and I’m honored to be a part of it,” said Webler.

Pistorius noted that alumni of the Center have also gone on to become some of the most ardent members of the advisory board, as they are most familiar with its research capabilities.

“Joining the CISR allowed me to build many steel industry contacts, which in many cases evolved into lasting friendships that opened up career opportunities,” said alumnus Scott Story MS’95, Ph.D.’97, who credits the Center for his joining U.S. Steel 27 years ago. Story remains involved today. “The CISR, through its focus on studying steelmaking and casting process fundamentals, has made many significant contributions to improving productivity, efficiency, and quality of these processes,” he notes.

Interdisciplinary partnerships have also developed as a result of the technical aspects examined through the CISR, particularly in recent years as members have been given the opportunity to drive changes at a systemwide level as it pertains to decarbonization of steel. In 2024, CISR co-hosted the second Accelerating Green Steel Workshop with the Scott Institute for Energy Innovation.

When he retired in 2017, Fruehan noted that he considered the CISR his most long-lasting contribution to Carnegie Mellon and the steel industry, a viewpoint shared by many faculty, alumni, and partners of the center over its tenure.

The Center has very deep links with the steel industry, running well-designed, insightful research projects.

Chris Pistorius, Co-Director, Center for Iron and Steelmaking Research

“The CISR put Carnegie Mellon on the map as the number one steel making research university in the world,” said Cramb.

“The Center has very deep links with the steel industry through what Dr. Fruehan built up, running well-designed, insightful research projects that are useful to industry and having graduates from the center who can enter industry,” said Pistorius.

“As Fruehan taught me, if you have command over the fundamentals, you can solve many problems in the steelmaking and casting process, and for me and many others who have graduated, that has proven to be true,” said Story.

A celebration of the CISR will be held in May for those who have been involved with the program.