Ming Cai, a leading expert in rock mechanics, is a full professor at Laurentian University’s School of Engineering and Computer Science. With over 30 years of experience spanning academia, research, and industry, he has significantly advanced the understanding of brittle rock failure, rock support design in burst-prone ground, and rock stability in deep mining. He holds degrees from Tsinghua University and a PhD from the University of Tokyo. His work has influenced mining and geotechnical engineering worldwide, with over 260 publications shaping industry best practices. Prior to academia, he held key roles at MIRARCO, Mansour Group Inc., Tokyo Electric Power Services Ltd., and Tsinghua University. Recognized for his ground-breaking contributions, he received the Canadian Geotechnical Society’s John A. Franklin Award in 2017. His research continues to drive innovation in rock engineering and deep mining.