Faculty members put their knowledge into action so students and others are able to benefit from it. Recently, faculty published in prestigious outlets, presented at renowned conferences, and were interviewed by international media.
Antun Husinec
James H. Chapin Professor of Geology and Mineralogy Antun Husinec recently published an article in the Journal of Petroleum Geology titled “Geologic Well-Log Interpretation Across Carbonate Reservoir Types in the Middle East: Insights Into Reservoir Heterogeneity and Play Characteristics.”
The study addresses a long-standing challenge in geology: understanding complex carbonate rocks that vary widely due to both how they formed and how they were altered over time. Using well-log data collected from deep subsurface, Husinec develops a framework for recognizing major types of carbonate reservoirs, including broad shelf deposits, reef-like buildups, and sloping shelf-margin systems.
Although the study focuses on the Persian Gulf, its implications extend more broadly to subsurface geology and energy systems. The work also lays a foundation for future research that integrates modern datasets and emerging approaches such as AI-assisted interpretation.
Habib Battah
Assistant Professor of Digital Media and Film Habib Battah recently presented a paper titled, “Diplomatic Moves on Beirut: Transnational Power and Cultural Production in Contemporary Lebanon” at the annual Middle East Studies Association (MESA) conference in Washington, D.C.—a premier, scholarly conference held in the fall focused on the study of the Middle East, North Africa, and transnational connections.
Battah also organized, chaired and participated in a MESA roundtable discussion tilted “Geopolitical Transition, Diplomatic Activity, and Cultural Production in Postwar Beirut.” Also recently, he gave live interviews on multiple global news outlets, including CGTN America, TRT World and Al Jazeera English, to discuss Israel's invasion of South Lebanon and its airstrikes on the country in the context of the US-Israel war on Iran.
Anna Fahr
Assistant Professor of Digital Media and Film Anna Fahr debut narrative feature film, Valley of Exile, continued its festival run in March and April with screenings at the Beloit International Film Festival in Beloit, Wisconsin, and the Diaspora Film Festival in Toronto, Ontario, where it was presented in celebration of Canadian Film Day, a nationwide initiative honoring Canadian cinema and the voices that shape it.
Fahr attended both screenings in person alongside Co-Producer and Assistant Professor of Digital Media and Film, Habib Battah. Valley of Exile has screened in nearly 30international film festivals on 6 continents, winning 10 awards.
Jenny Hansen
Professor of Philosophy and William L. Fox Professor of Public Health Jenny Hansen recently contributed an article to Feed Your Head, a popular online forum for philosophy, science, the arts, and spirituality.
Her article, titled “Ill-Communication in the Age of AI,” argues that, as AI becomes more conversational and human-like, it will lead to a new sort of “ill-communication” and an uncanny valley of communication, where interactions that feel authentic and meaningful really aren’t what they seem.
Hansen also recently appeared on the Philosophy vs Improv podcast, where Hansen and the host improv various philosophical situations and discuss how to get students to talk in philosophy classes.
Patti Frazer Lock
Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Patti Frazer Lock recently had an invited article published in the Journal of Data Science. The article is titled "Discussion of Addressing the Challenges of AI-Generated Assignment Submissions in Education: Insights and Strategies," and appears in the February 2026 edition of the journal.
In addition, Lock was the invited speaker at the March 2026 online meeting of the Statistics and Data Science Education Seminar.
Zhenjun Zhang
New Stories Told While Trimming the Wick, a seminal collection of classical Chinese tales co-translated by Professor of Chinese and Coordinator of Asian Studies Zhenjun Zhang, was recently positively reviewed in Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews—a well-known journal on Chinese literature published in the U.S.
The reviewer commented that the book “is thus a long-awaited significant scholarly milestone," and added that “This volume brings light to a masterpiece of ghost literature and provides insights into the dynamic of transregional literary exchange in the early modern Sinosphere. Scholars in the field owe much to Zhenjun Zhang, Sidney, L. Sondergard, and Trever MaKay's thoughtful and painstaking translation, which will enrich both research and teaching in East Asian literary studies."
Stephanie Wang
Assistant Professor of Gender and Sexuality Stephanie Wang was recently invited as a panelist on “East Asian LGBTQI+ Voices Rising” webinar at the Harvard Kennedy School Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights.
There, Wang spoke about the histories of queer activism in China and offered a decolonial analysis of three major LGBT rights campaigns, highlighting the creative and adaptive strategies of visibility and invisibility that queer Chinese activists adopt in post-socialist China.
Howard Eissenstat
Laurentian Associate Professor and Chair of History Howard Eissenstat recently had an extensive interview featured in the leading Greek newspaper, Kathimerini, in which he discussed the changing dynamics of the Middle East.
Eissenstat also recently sat down with Diego Cupolo for a lengthy talk about Turkey-Israeli relations, the war in the Middle East, and how events since October 2023 have transformed regional dynamics.
Science Faculty
Assistant Professor in Physics Massooma Pirbhai and Professor of Biology and Psychology Ana Estevez recently published a research paper in Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, co-authored with three St. Lawrence Biology-Physics alumni.
The paper, titled “Orientation-dependent effects of a 1 mT static magnetic field on HT22 neural cell proliferation,” examines how the direction of a static magnetic field influences the growth of neural cells. The study shows that while magnetic field exposure enhances cell proliferation, the effect strongly depends on orientation, with the downward-directed fields producing the most robust increases in growth. Pirbhai will present this work at the IEEE Magnetics Society INTERMAG 2026 conference in Manchester, U.K., later this month.
English Faculty
Professor of English Bob Cowser and Viebranz Visiting Professor of Creative Writing A. Kendra Greene helped to lead a writing workshop for all participants at the recent Essays Beyond Borders Conference at the University of Pisa in Italy.
While there, Cowser delivered a paper on James Baldwin and the aesthetic theory of Theodor Adorno.
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St. Lawrence’s Faculty Focus is a regular roundup of noteworthy faculty news.
