Muhammad Waqas joined the Department of Mining and Geological Engineering at University of Arizona in August 2018, and is currently serving as a lecturer. His research focuses on Discrete Element Modeling, Artificial Intelligence Modeling, Mining Equipment Operations, and Geomechanics. He completed his PhD in Mining Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology Missouri S&T) in December 2018. He completed his MS in Mechanical Engineering and a Graduate certificate in ‘Engineering Mechanics’ from Missouri S&T in May, 2017. He completed his BS and MS in Mining Engineering from ‘University of Engineering and Technology UET) Lahore in 2009 and 2013, respectively. After completing his BS degree, his passion and profound interest in academia led him to work as a Lecturer in the Department of Mining Engineering at UET Lahore, where he was involved in teaching and research. He was later promoted to the rank of Assistant Professor in December 2013. He joined Missouri University of Science and Technology Missouri S&T) in August 2013 as a PhD student. He served as a ‘Teaching Fellow’ for Missouri S&T at Saudi Mining Polytechnic SMP) Arar, Saudi Arabia. He also worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Department of Mining and Nuclear Engineering at Missouri S&T. He completed the PFC2D/PFC3D course offered by Itasca Consulting Group, Inc. in March 2016. He won the ‘Graduate Teaching Award’ from the Department of Mining and Nuclear Engineering in April 2018