Daniel Kavić: "From -20 °C to +20 °C: My Research Stay at the Process Metallurgy Research Unit at the University of Oulu"
When I arrived in Oulu at 1 a.m. on March 2, the thermometer read -20 °C. My first impression was shaped by the northern cold, but also by the city’s remarkable atmosphere. The next morning, I had a quiet moment to take in the snow-covered northern landscape. This unique winter scenery immediately made it clear that my time in Oulu would be extraordinary not only from a scientific perspective, but also on a personal level.
The organizational start of my stay was also very smooth. After picking up the keys to my apartment from PSOAS and settling in within a day, I was already able to begin my work on Wednesday. Right at the beginning, I had my first meeting with Professor Shu, during which we discussed my initial work packages.
Already in the following week, I had the opportunity to present my research work to the team and get to know my new colleagues. From the very first day, I was welcomed with kindness and openness. The working environment in Oulu was excellent: I was provided with a great setup for my research, and I shared an office with two highly motivated young engineers who were close to completing their master’s theses.
What I found particularly valuable was the daily exchange within the team and having lunch together with my colleagues became a regular part of my everyday routine. These conversations often provided fascinating insights into a wide range of topics in process metallurgy, from the production of input materials for the electric arc furnace and the modeling of metallurgical processes to questions related to solidification during continuous casting.
A central focus of my stay was the close collaboration with Professor Shu. As mentioned above, we held regular meetings from the very first day, during which we worked intensively on a slag desulfurization model. With his extensive experience in the field of metallurgical slag, Professor Shu has played a key role in deepening my understanding of this topic and in discussing complex boundary conditions and modeling approaches. Thanks to comprehensive literature research, carefully chosen assumptions, and a successful programming implementation, we were able to move on to the next step within just four weeks: top-lance desulfurization in the secondary metallurgical process. In this area, I benefited enormously from the impressive expertise of Professor Visuri, who is considered one of the world’s leading scientists in the field of hot metal desulfurization.
During the final weeks of my stay, the work on top-lance desulfurization was also successfully completed. At the end of my visit, I had the opportunity to present the results to the team in a final presentation. Looking back, the outcomes of these three months are just remarkable to me: two peer-reviewed publications will emerge from this research stay, and, in addition, I very much hope that we will have the opportunity to share our results with the scientific community at future conferences.
Beyond the scientific progress, it is above all the human side of this stay that I will remember most. In Oulu, I not only learned an enormous amount professionally, but also formed wonderful friendships. I was also able to enjoy several unforgettable experiences outside university life, including an icebreaker ferry trip to Hailuoto, a road trip to Lapland, visits to karaoke bars, which in Finland almost seem like a national sport, and, of course, many culinary discoveries.
If I had to summarize my time in Oulu, I would say that this research stay was something truly special in every respect. The past three months have been highly significant not only for my scientific progress and my project, but also as an exceptionally enriching personal experience.
I arrived on March 2 at -20 °C, and I am now leaving on June 5 at +20 °C. I had the chance to experience the deep winter with its unique icy landscapes, while also witnessing the return of warmer weather and the rich green colors of Finnish nature as spring arrived. It is precisely this combination of scientific excellence, inspiring people, and impressive natural surroundings that makes my time in Oulu unforgettable.
Finally, I would simply like to say thank you. Thank you to my employer, K1-MET GmbH, for this wonderful opportunity; thank you to everyone who helped organize this outgoing research stay; and last but not least, thank you to the entire team in Oulu for the warm welcome, the excellent collaboration, and a time that I will never forget.
Daniel Kavić