Education
B.E., Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology
M.S., Pennsylvania State University
Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
The principal aim of my research is to allow for greater extraction efficiency in a sustainable manner with improved safety and reduced cost for the mining industry. I always aim to implement new and innovative technologies from other disciplines into the industry as well as focus on inter-disciplinary research. My area of expertise includes rock mechanics, mining systems engineering focusing on resource efficiency through use of digitalization, VR/AR and innovation in learning & teaching. I have over 130 research publications in book chapters, journals, peer-reviewed conferences & reports and has been involved in various projects for the mining mining industry across different countries. I have graduated 11 PhDs and 12 Masters students. My key research strategies include: seeking collaborative & multi-disciplinary research opportunities within industry and academia, developing future research directions in a team environment, and acquiring funding to support high quality undergraduate & graduate students and researchers.
Prior to joining the School of Mines, I was Head of Research at the Institute for Advanced Mining Technologies at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. I have been a faculty member at Wits from 2017 – 2020 and at UNSW Sydney, Australia from 2006 – 2016. I obtained my PhD (Mining Engineering) from Virginia Tech, MS (Mining Engineering) from Penn State and BEng (Mining Engineering) from Indian Institute of Engineering Science & Technology, India. I am an active member of the Society of Mining Professors along with other societies such as SME, AusIMM, SAIMM and in the editorial board for multiple journals. I have also been responsible for organizing various internationals conferences. I am currently the members of two ISRM sub-commissions - Planetary Rock Mechanics and Deep Mining.
My foremost objective is to ensure that my students learn and develop a deep understanding of the principles of mining so that they can apply them correctly and skillfully to solve practical problems and become lifelong learners. I always make effort to engage the students in the class and increase their willingness to learn by including various activities during the teaching. In my teaching practice, I continually integrate my personal research into my teaching and am able to keep abreast with new developments and update my teaching resources accordingly.