Michael D. Naish is a Professor of Mechanical & Materials Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Western Ontario, where he also serves as the Director of the Mechatronic Systems Engineering program. He obtained his B.E.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Western Ontario in 1996, followed by an M.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia in 1999 and a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto in 2004. Before his academic career, he worked at General Motors developing a computer-integrated testing system. In 2003, he began his teaching career as an Assistant Professor at the University of Western Ontario, achieving Associate Professor status in 2011 and being cross-appointed to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2007. Naish is actively involved in research at the Canadian Surgical Technologies and Advanced Robotics Institute (CSTAR). His research interests include mechatronics, robotics, intelligent control, minimally-invasive surgery, and vision and sensing systems.