Outotec's expert in recycling and sustainable technologies, professor, Dr Markus Reuter has been appointed Adjunct Professor at Aalto University, School of Chemical Technology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering as of August 1, 2012. The professorship focuses on systems engineering with application to recycling, simulation and design for recycling and sustainability.
Besides his chair at Aalto University, Markus Reuter continues working for Outotec as Director - Technology Management responsible among other things for cooperation with universities and international stakeholder organizations. In addition, he is Professorial Fellow of Sustainable Technology at the University of Melbourne, Australia.
"This new professorship adds an important systems engineering viewpoint related to metals production and recycling to education and research in materials science," explains Dean Outi Krause from Aalto University, School of Chemical Technology and continues: "Recycling of for example electronics and critical materials makes the processing chain an ever more complex, multiphase system. Mastering that system requires a deep understanding of metallurgy and thermodynamics as well as knowledge of the entire life cycle of materials including their recycling. Metallurgical process solutions and technologies can be efficiently utilized in recycling. Systems engineering is an essential tool of sustainable metals production."
Aalto University's new professorship will increase material recycling knowledge globally and open new possibilities for technology development. Outotec as a leading developer and provider of metallurgical processes and technologies needs new experts in systems engineering. In addition, Outotec can participate in the related research programs.
"Through systems engineering we will be able to model and test processes and thus manage more complicated process combinations and develop process technologies for secondary raw materials inclusive of water. Furthermore, our customers will be able to recover a larger variety of metals and recycle rare minerals, which has not been possible before. New technological solutions enable reuse of materials, which saves non-renewable resources," says Outotec's CTO Kari Knuutila.