Ekin Köken received his PhD in mining engineering from Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (Türkiye) in 2019. He worked as a research assistant at Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University in Türkiye between 2011 and 2018. After completing his PhD, he moved to Abdullah Gül University and has been working there as a research assistant. In 2023, he was promoted to the rank of associate professor in mining engineering by the Council of Higher Education of Türkiye. His primary academic interests are surface and underground mining applications, theoretical and experimental rock mechanics, engineering geology, natural stones, and rock aggregate processing technologies.