Royal recognition for sustainable steel research
Receiving a prestigious scholarship is always a milestone. Receiving it from the King of Sweden makes it even more memorable. When Carl XVI Gustaf handed KTH researcher Yu-Chiao Lu a scholarship from the King Carl XVI Gustaf 50th Birthday Fund for Science, Technology and the Environment, she had brought something for the King as well.
How does it feel to receive this award?
"It feels surreal, and I am very grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am also grateful to my parents, my professors, and my colleagues at KTH who have supported me to come this far in my research career."
What does this mean to you?
"The award demonstrates the impact we can generate through research, and it motivates me to work even harder. It is also a recognition to the cross-cultural collaboration between Sweden and Taiwan – where I come from. I also hope it can attract more talented students to the Material Science and Engineering Department at KTH to make a long-lasting impact on the metal industry— just like I did nine years ago."
How does it feel to receive this recognition in your field?
"I feel very proud since I was the only awardee in the room working with metal production. This shows that the sustainability of metal production is just as important as other environmental research, although perhaps not (yet) as well-known to the general public."
Explain your research?
"My research focuses on environmentally friendly metal production. It spans from the replacement of fossil fuels with biofuels in steelmaking processes, to enhancing the recycling of steelmaking by-products, and to decreasing the consumption of critical raw materials in metal production."
Which challenge does it address?
"Steel is the building block of the modern economy. Without steel, the human civilization will crash. However, the steel industry alone generates 7-9% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on earth. My research contributes to decarbonizing the steel industry and enhancing its efficiency, enabling continued societal benefits with reduced environmental impact."
How will you spend your scholarship?
"I will spend the money to enhance my connection with the European industry. I will visit different steelmaking plants, raw material suppliers, and recycling companies to discuss face-to-face with the experts about potential collaboration."
Last but not least, how was it to meet the Swedish king?
"It was fun! The King is very down-to-earth and a humorous man to be around with. As he handed over my certificate to me, I returned him a gift - which is a drawing of him and myself celebrating this special occasion and the long-lasting collaboration between Sweden and Taiwan."
Text: Rita Nõu
Photo: Jonas Borg
Illustration: awardee Yu-Chiao Lu