Aleksandar M. Mitrašinović was a production manager in steel and aluminum plants before he earned his Ph.D. at the Materials Science Department, University of Toronto. His subsequent engagement at the University of Waterloo included converting biomass to energy and recovering valuable metals from waste. He is the founding director of a pioneering startup company in refining high purity silicon using metallurgical techniques and operations consulting in fields of metallic materials development and extractive metallurgy of laterite ores. Currently, his research focus is on the development of new materials and processes for sustainable development, utilization of renewable energy resources, and circular economy in mining operations.