Please join us for our new series, Scholars in Focus, giving you a glimpse into the exciting work happening across the University. Two faculty members will discuss their research for 15 minutes each, followed by Q&A. 

This virtual Scholars in Focus, on May 8th, will feature Naser Haghbin, PhD, Professor of the Practice, Director of the Innovation Annex, Mechanical Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Computing and Daniel Libatique, PhD, Vincent J. Rosivach Assistant Professor of Classical Studies, Department of English

Dr. Naser Haghbin's teaching and research focus on integrating automation, vision-based robotic systems, and deep learning into advanced manufacturing. He mentors both undergraduate and graduate students on interdisciplinary projects involving CNC machining, robotic arms, and defect detection in engineered materials. He also leads a separate research stream in additive manufacturing and bioprinting, with applications in tissue engineering and biomedical systems. Dr. Haghbin will present "“From Simulation to Real-Time Automation: Machine Vision and Robotic Integration in Manufacturing”, highlighting the student-led research pipeline in the SEC Industrial Automation Lab at Fairfield University, focused on cost-effective automation strategies for manufacturing. Featured projects include simulation-based analysis of robotic-CNC integration, the development of a single-camera vision system for real-time pick-and-place, and CNN-driven defect detection on ceramic surfaces using low-cost AI tools. Together, these efforts advance Dr. Haghbin's long-term research agenda in robotics and AI-based automation while offering scalable solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises. 

Daniel Libatique is the Vincent J. Rosivach Assistant Professor of Classical Studies at Fairfield University, with a departmental home in English. He earned his Ph.D. from Boston University in 2018 with a dissertation entitled Tereus, Procne, and Philomela: Speech, Silence, and the Voice of Gender. His research interests include narratology, gender politics, sexuality, and reception, and he has published articles and chapters on Ovid, Tacitus, Sophocles, and issues of diversity in higher education. He will present "Dark-Skinned Patroclus in Hades" about how the 2020 video game Hades by Supergiant Games depicts characters of ancient Greek myth with a variety of physiological makeups in terms of skin color, dress, and gender presentation. 

Register to receive the Zoom link. If you’re interested in presenting your research, grants, creative works, or innovative projects at an upcoming Scholars in Focus session, please submit a proposal or contact Tiara Arnold, tarnold@fairfield.edu