QU and Qatalum/Hydro Aluminium Announce Faculty Chair

Doha, March 19 (QNA) - Qatar University's Center for Advanced Materials (CAM) and Qatalum a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Hydro Aluminium of Norway - on Tuesday signed an agreement to create a faculty chair position. The Qatalum/Hydro Faculty Chair in Aluminium will be a three-year position, with the relevant person based in CAM, developing applied research programs related to aluminium applications and their end use. They will also be required to establish and develop close collaborations with universities across the world, which are leading the way in this field of materials science. CAM already has strong bilateral ties with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The research program will be integrated with the QU undergraduate senior student projects and graduate theses as relevant. CAM Director Dr Mariam Al-Maadeed, Qatalum CEO Tom Petter Johansen, DCEO Khalid Laram and Hydro Vice President Hilde Aasheim announced the partnership at QU in the presence of QU President Prof. Sheikha Al Misnad and Vice President of Research Dr Hassan Al-Derham. The remit for the Faculty Chair will be to: provide a recruitment base for Qatalum and the local aluminium downstream industry; develop aluminium materials competence in Qatar by establishing building blocks, Masters and PhD programs as supported by NTNU; launch research programs in aluminium and its applications as appropriate for Qatar and GCC; promote and develop applications for aluminium in humid and corrosive climates; assist the launch of National Priorities Research Program (NPRP) with core resources from Hydro and CAM; and promote aluminium as a green recyclable and versatile material. Qatalum has already built a strong relationship with CAM at Qatar University to promote research and graduate studies. Hydro is also cooperating with various departments of the College of Engineering at Qatar University, with several projects and guest lectures. Qatalum promotes aluminium as a material of choice in the building-construction sector, structural and transportation sector, automotive sector and for use in marine applications. It also promotes furthering the industrial application and usage of aluminium, which will create more opportunities and jobs in Qatar and GCC. (QNA)