Professor Muhammad Zeeshan Shakir is a Professor of Digital Technologies and AI at the Digital Connectivity & Innovation Centre (DCIC), University of the West of Scotland (UWS). He completed his PhD in Wireless Communications at the University of Strathclyde and has received numerous prestigious awards and honors, including the IEEE Fred W. Ellersick Award, Innovate UK Award of Excellence, the Herald Higher Education Project of the Year Award, and the STEM Inspiring Diversity and Inclusion Award.Professor Shakir has recently led several high-impact regional and international projects, securing over £7 million in research funding and £2 million in knowledge exchange partnerships from prominent organizations, including the British Council, Qatar National Research Fund, NIHR, Scottish Government, UK Government, European Commission, and Innovate UK.With over 150 peer-reviewed papers and 10 authored books, he serves as Chair of several IEEE committees, including the Public Safety Technology Smart Algorithm and Informatics Committee and the Backhaul Networking Emerging Technology Committee. Additionally, he is the Executive Chair of IEEE ICC 2026. Professor Shakir is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) and a Senior Member of IEEE. His research interests encompass AI-enabled systems, digital health, smart infrastructure, and 5G/6G connectivity.