Faculty Speakers, Panel Discussion and Surgical Lightning Talks

Engineering Faculty Presenters

Dr. Farshid Alambeigi

University of Texas at Austin

Leland Barclay Fellowship in Engineering Associate Professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Farshid Alambeigi is the Leland Barclay Fellowship in Engineering Associate Professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, where he has served since August 2025. He is also a core faculty member of Texas Robotics. Dr. Alambeigi earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering (2019) and M.Sc. in Robotics (2017) from Johns Hopkins University. In 2018, he was awarded the 2019 Siebel Scholarship in recognition of his academic excellence and leadership. He is the recipient of the NIH NIBIB Trailblazer Award (2020) for his work on flexible implants and robotic systems for minimally invasive spinal fixation surgery and the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (2022) for pioneering in vivo bioprinting surgical robotics for the treatment of volumetric muscle loss. His contributions have also been recognized with the UT Austin Faculty Innovation Award, the Outstanding Research Award by an Assistant Professor, the Walker Scholar Award, and several best paper awards and recognitions. He serves as an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Robotics (TRO), IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering (TASE), IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RAL), and the IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine (RAM).

At UT Austin, Dr. Alambeigi directs the Advanced Robotic Technologies for Surgery (ARTS) Lab. In collaboration with the UT Dell Medical School, the ARTS Lab advances the concept of Surgineering, engineering the surgery, by developing dexterous, intelligent robotic systems designed to partner with surgeons. The ultimate goal of this work is to enhance surgical precision, improve clinician performance, and advance patient safety and outcomes.

Professor Ron Alterovitz

Lawrence Grossberg Distinguished Professor and Associate Chair for Faculty Affairs
Department of Computer Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Ron Alterovitz is the Lawrence Grossberg Distinguished Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He leads the Computational Robotics Research Group, which focuses on increasing the autonomy of robots by developing novel algorithms for robots to learn and plan their motions, with an emphasis on enabling robots to autonomously perform new, less invasive medical procedures and tasks in homes and workplaces. Prior to joining UNC-Chapel Hill in 2009, Dr. Alterovitz earned his B.S. with Honors from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), completed his Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, and conducted postdoctoral research at the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center and a French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) lab in Toulouse, France. Dr. Alterovitz is co-inventor on three patents and has received multiple best paper awards at robotics and computer-assisted medicine conferences including RSS, ICRA, IROS, and MIUA. He is the recipient of an NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, two UNC Computer Science Department Excellence in Teaching Awards, an NSF Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.

More information is available on the Computational Robotics Research Group site.

Professor Siobhan Rigby Oca

Duke University

Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Thomas Lord Department of MEMS

Director of Master’s Studies

Siobhan Oca’s research focusses on medical robotics and robotics education. Specifically, she is interested in developing safe and effective autonomous medical procedures. Her doctoral research focussed on development of autonomous ultrasound scanning with robotic arm, implemented in a human study, which also assessed trust and safety. Since starting as faculty, she studies the methods used in teaching robotics to understand their efficacy in student learning and perception of robotics as a future career field.

She leads the Masters programs in Robotics for MEMS and is passionate about robotics curricula development that prepares students for their future in robotics and impacts on society, including through her Case Studies of Ethics in Robotics and Autonomy course.

Professor Brian Mann

Duke University

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

NSF NRT TAST

Research Interests are nonlinear dynamics and vibration utilizing analytical, numerical, and experimental techniques. Fundamental investigations of phenomenon and application areas where dynamical systems theory plays an important role.

Professor Xianyi Cheng

Duke University

Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research interests are Robotics & Autonomy

Medical Faculty Presenters:

Dr. Louise Jackson MD,MBBS

Duke University School of Medicine

Assistant Professor of Surgery

Medical Student Clerkship Director in the Department of Surgery

Dr Jackson is a board certified, Assistant Professor of colon and rectal surgery at Duke Raleigh Hospital.

Her clinical expertise includes management of both malignant and benign colorectal diseases. These include colon cancer, rectal cancer, hereditary polyposis and anal cancer; inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease; benign colon and rectal disorders such as diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, anal fistulae and rectal prolapse. She has experience in laparoscopic and robotic approaches to treat colorectal diseases.

Dr. Sabino Zani