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Highlight of FIRE Alumni - Renaud Grasset-Bourdel - RHI Magnesita - Austria
From Limoges to Leoben: How FIRE Shaped My Career—and My Life
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When I began my studies in Limoges, France, I never imagined the journey ahead. Thanks to the FIRE network, I had the opportunity to deepen my knowledge in refractory engineering and connect with brilliant minds across the globe.
Between 2008 and 2011, FIRE supported me through my Master and PhD, granting certifications that opened doors to exciting opportunities. My research took me from ENSCI and the University of Limoges to Montanuniversität Leoben, where I worked under the guidance of exceptional supervisors: Prof. Marc Huger, Prof. Harald Harmuth, and Dr. Dietmar Gruber.
Those years were more than academic-they were about building relationships with professors, fellow students, and industry professionals during conferences and face-to-face meetings. Thanks to FIRE, I even had the chance to participate in international conferences in Brazil, Japan, and other countries, broadening my perspective and network globally.
These connections proved invaluable when I joined RHI Magnesita in Leoben right after my PhD. Today, after 14+ years at RHIM, I’ve grown from R&D to Global Quality Management.
Being part of the second FIRE promotion, I’m proud to see how the network has expanded over the years, bringing together more universities and companies, all renowned in the refractory field. I’m also proud to see many new initiatives since my time at FIRE-such as FIRE Summer Schools, books, and other events-that continue to strengthen knowledge sharing and collaboration in our industry.
And FIRE didn’t just shape my career-it changed my life. It introduced me to Austria, a country I might never have imagined living in. Almost 18 years after my first stay, and nearly 15 years living here, I still enjoy the mountains and nature around… now with my two kids!
FIRE gave me knowledge, opportunities, and a network that lasts. If you’re passionate about refractories, I can only recommend this experience to future students!
Renaud Grasset-Bourdel
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Humans have been gathering around fire for hundreds of thousands of years — for warmth, protection, food, and simply to talk. In a funny way, my own career also began around “fire,” just a far more engineered version of it. I first heard about FIRE during my Master’s in São Carlos, Brazil, thanks to Prof. Pandolfelli. I joined without imagining that this decision would quietly shape my entire professional path.
Highlight of FIRE Alumni - Otávio Henrique Borges - Doctoral Student at Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Brasil
I began my journey in refractory materials in 2017, when I started my Master’s degree at GEMM (Materials Microstructure Engineering Group), under the supervision of Prof. Victor Pandolfelli. From that moment on, and with the continuous support of the FIRE network, my interest in this challenging and fascinating field of refractory ceramics has only grown stronger.
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Contact us for any information and/or to Become Member of FIRE: fire@ecers.org
