Federation for International Refractory Research and Education

Education Committee

Thorsten Tonnesen

Thorsten Tonnesen

RWTH Aachen - Germany

Chair

Emmanuel de Bilbao

Emmanuel de Bilbao

University of Orléans - France

Marc Huger

Marc Huger

Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Ceramique Industrielle - France

Kinga Klima

Kinga Klima

Tata Steel Europe - The Netherlands

Victor Carlos Pandolfelli

Victor Carlos Pandolfelli

University of São Carlos - Brazil

Hong Peng

Hong Peng

Elkem - Norway

Jacques Poirier

Jacques Poirier

University of Orléans - France

Michel Rigaud

Michel Rigaud

Polytechnique Montreal - Canada

Paul Van Beurden

Paul Van Beurden

Tata Steel Europe - The Netherlands

Christoph Wohrmeyer

Christoph Wohrmeyer

Imerys - France

Last news

2026 FIRE Student Photo Competition dedicated to high-temperature resistant materials

If you are a student or recent graduate (up to 5 years after graduation), we invite you to submit a photo showing a material being able to withstand the power of FIRE. Both refractory and another high temperature resistant material qualify. Whether it is from a lab or industrial environment, we would love to see what amazes you.

Oct 28, 2026
Highlight of the members of the Board of Directors - Victor Carlos Pandolfelli

My journey with FIRE began in 2003, together with Prof. Michel Rigaud and other academic and industrial colleagues. In 2005, our first official meeting in Limoges, France, transformed this vision into reality. From the beginning, FIRE was founded on a strong belief in cooperation between universities and industry towards a better education. Its strength has always come from working across institutional, cultural, and national borders.

Oct 13, 2026

Contact us and/or Become Member!

Contact us for any information and/or to Become Member of FIRE: fire@ecers.org 

Contact us

fire@ecers.org

Av. Gouverneur Cornez , 4

7000 Mons

Belgium

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