Qatalum aims to make a lasting contribution to the future growth and prosperity of Qatar

More than two years ago Qatalum, the state-of-the-art aluminium smelter built in line with Qatar's long-term economic diversification strategy sponsored an aluminium faculty chair position in the department of chemical engineering at Qatar University for a three-year period. The target was to strengthen Qatar University's capability to graduate qualified engineers, both Qatari nationals and expatriates, who would want to have careers in Qatar's aluminium industry.

Dr Halvor Kvande was selected for this professorship, and since his appointment to the position two years ago, he has worked to create interest and enthusiasm for aluminium production among Qatar University's young BSc students. From the fall of 2009 to the spring of 2011 Dr Kvande has presented a course on Aluminium Production Technology for 88 students (17, 25, 26 and 20 students, respectively). In addition to his university teaching, Dr Kvande has also presented courses on aluminium both internally and externally for Qatalum employees.

Speaking of his work over the past two years, Dr Kvande said, "The aluminium faculty chair at Qatar University's department of chemical engineering was established under the sponsorship of Hydro and Qatalum in line with their vision of creating a knowledge-based industry in Qatar and the wider region. The past two years have been very educational and fulfilling, and the students have been extremely dedicated and interested in learning about aluminium. They look forward to taking their place in Qatar's aluminium industry and helping to build up the industry for the years to come."

Qatalum aims to make a lasting contribution to the future growth and prosperity of Qatar, adding value through people development, economic diversification and sustainable processes and results, in line with the Qatari government's ideals as expressed in the Qatar National Vision 2030. Through this and other education and training initiatives, Qatalum is looking to create a sustainable, knowledge-based aluminium industry in the country that will benefit citizens for years to come.

"The Middle East is emerging as a significant primary aluminium producer, taking advantage of the region's low production costs and good transport links for exporting. According to the Gulf Aluminium Council, by 2020 the region is expected to be producing around 20% of the predicted 50 million tonnes per year production, up from four percent of 38.1 million tonnes in 2007. In fact, the industry is currently growing at such a rate that the demand for skilled and trained employees is increasing rapidly, and the Gulf Aluminium Council estimates in its 2009 report on the sustainability of the region's aluminium industry that 15,000 to 20,000 such employees will be required by the region's aluminium industry in the next ten years. Through their sponsorship chair here at Qatar University, Hydro and Qatalum are working to ensure that there will be enough people from the region to help meet this need," concluded Dr Kvande.

Dr Kvande is a Norwegian national with an MSc in inorganic chemistry from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), a PhD from the same university, and the Norwegian degree of Doctor Technicae in high-temperature inorganic chemistry, also from NTNU. He has been working with Hydro Aluminium since 1980, and his major field of interest is research and development works on the Hall-Héroult process for primary production of aluminium. From 1990 to 2005 he also worked part-time as Adjunct Professor at NTNU, where he gave courses in aluminium electrolysis and molten salt chemistry for MSc and PhD students.

Since 1993, Dr Kvande has been the sole presenter for the first week of a two-week international course entitled 'Fundamentals and their application in aluminium production' at NTNU. He has also presented courses on aluminium electrolysis and molten salt chemistry, as well as a number of internal Hydro courses, including one entitled 'Heat balance in aluminium electrolysis cells', which has been presented to a total of over 400 supervisors and operators in Hydro's smelters in Norway, Germany and Australia. In recent years he has become particularly interested in the environmental aspects of aluminium production. Dr Kvande has received several awards and honours recognising the quality of his work. Altogether, he is author or co-author of more than 150 scientific and technical papers, as well as five textbooks, on aluminium electrolysis and related topics.

Dr Kvande is a member of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences (NTVA), the TMS Light Metals Division Aluminium Committee (Vice-Chairperson in 2004-5, and Chairperson 2005-6), and also the TMS Nominating Committee, which is responsible for selecting nominees for TMS Officers and Directors for the Board of Directors.