Next-generation bainitic steel, a substance with remarkable properties, was the central theme of a colloquium hosted by the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Pretoria on 4 December 2017. Professor Sir Harshad Bhadeshia, a global leader in metallurgy and the Tata Steel Professor at Cambridge University, was the main speaker. He was on a visit to South Africa following an application by the Microscopy Society of Southern Africa. The trip was funded through an instrument of the National Research Foundation.

The event was co-ordinated by the Pretoria branch of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM). Approximately 50 metallurgists from all over South Africa participated in the discussions. Prof Roelf Mostert, convenor of the event, said that the deliberations at the colloquium were extremely relevant to the South African metallurgical community and were sure to shape the future direction of steel research and development in South Africa.

Click here to view some of the memorable places Professor Sir Harshad Bhadeshia visited during his stay in South Africa.