The IAStructE – IIIT Hyderabad Student Chapter of the Earthquake Engineering Research Centre organized an online guest lecture titled “Cold-Formed Steel Structures: Emerging Research and Applications” on 20th November 2024. The lecture was open to students, structural engineers, faculty members, industry people and members of the academic and research community. The session was delivered by Dr. Mohammad Adil Dar, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus. Dr. Dar provided a comprehensive overview of Cold-Formed Steel (CFS) structures, focusing on three key areas: (i) CFS as a building material, (ii) advantages and limitations of CFS, and (iii) CFS battened columns. The speaker began the webinar with emphasizing the significance of steel as a construction material, its diverse applications, and advancements in steel technologies. He discussed various types of rolled steel sections and transitioned into an in-depth analysis of CFS members, detailing their manufacturing processes and comparing material properties like yield strength, ductility, and durability with those of hot-rolled steel. Dr. Dar highlighted the unique advantages of CFS sections, such as their light-weight nature, cost-efficient transportation, and faster construction compared to hot-rolled sections. He also mentioned the growing adoption of CFS in India’s infrastructure development, especially in military and utility projects. The limitations of CFS, particularly its susceptibility to premature buckling, were highlighted. In the final segment of the webinar, the speaker delved into CFS battened columns and other built-up sections, exploring their structural characteristics and expanding role in modern construction. He presented detailed experimental and numerical studies of long and stub CFS battened columns, focusing on aspects such as load-displacement behavior, failure modes, and strength comparisons. The session concluded with an engaging discussion, with active participation from the attendees. Overall, the webinar provided an enriching learning experience for all involved.