2026 World Trip (Part 3): Advancing Metallurgy and Aerospace Research in Kazakhstan
Correlated Solutions recently touched down in Central Asia as Sales & Marketing Director Alistair Tofts traveled to Astana, Kazakhstan, to attend the 16th International Astana Mining & Metallurgy (AMM) Congress. Joining forces with Birzhan Zhexenbek from our local partner, Novatest Kazakhstan, Alistair attended the prestigious opening ceremonies led by Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister, Olzhas Bektenov, alongside an international audience of diplomats, CEOs, and tech innovators. A major highlight of the event was Alistair’s invitation to join a distinguished panel alongside Anastasia Mukherjee, Commercial Officer of the U.S. Mission in Kazakhstan, for a critical session titled "Processing and Metallurgy: Transition to Higher Value-Added Stages."
During the panel discussion, Alistair demonstrated the profound impact of Digital Image Correlation (DIC) on modern mining and engineering. He presented practical, cutting-edge applications of DIC technology, ranging from blast mining optimization to stope extraction safety. Stealing the show was a look at large-scale cylindrical compression testing on a rocket—a massive project made possible courtesy of data from the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, which perfectly illustrated the structural insights DIC can provide under extreme stress.
Find out more information about the conference here: https://amm.kz/en/
The momentum continued into the second day with a visit to Nazarbayev University to catch up with a longtime customer. Alistair spent time with Professor Sherif Araby Gouda and his talented team at the Hybrid Materials and Advanced Composites Laboratory (HMAC Lab). The laboratory actively utilizes the VIC-3D system to measure intricate deformation on advanced aerospace materials, including thin metals and complex composites. It was a privilege to provide the university team with advanced technical training and hands-on support to help push their material characterization research forward. The incredible trip wrapped up with an authentic taste of local culture and a wonderful send-off dinner hosted by Novatest Kazakhstan. We extend a massive thank you to everyone in Astana who made this visit so productive and welcoming!
