Programmed to Succeed

Michael P. Zabinski, PhD, professor of engineering, inspired “literally thousands” of students over his 55-year career at Fairfield.

For 55 years, Michael P. Zabinski, PhD, professor of mechanical engineering, prepared countless students for successful careers in engineering and computer science. His own career — defined by innovation, mentorship, and a passion for teaching — has left an indelible mark on Fairfield’s School of Engineering and Computing, and beyond.

Dr. Zabinski’s journey to Fairfield is as remarkable as his legacy. When entering college in 1958, he was initially uncertain about his future career. “I wasn’t quite ready to decide what I wanted to major in,” he said. “My father was an engineer, so I became an engineer.”

Armed with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut, in 1963 he went to work at Olin Corporation, where he excelled in metals research and development.

While at Olin, the young engineer pursued a doctorate at Yale University. Upon earning his PhD in engineering and applied science in 1969, Dr. Zabinski was recruited by Fairfield University to direct the newly launched 3+2 Engineering Program, an initiative he quickly embraced. The program allowed students to study at Fairfield for three years before transferring to engineering institutions such as University of Connecticut and Columbia University for two years, ultimately earning both a BA in a liberal arts discipline from Fairfield and a BS in engineering from the partner school.

Even back then, Dr. Zabinski’s influence extended beyond the classroom, and in at least one instance, into homes across the country. During the oil embargo of the 1970s, as American families were being encouraged to set their thermostats to 65°F (18°C) during the day and as low as 55°F (13°C) at night to save energy, he collaborated with Fairfield students on research into thermostat setback and energy consumption.

Their findings made national news. “We proved that lowering your thermostat overnight doesn’t always save energy,” he said. “It caused quite a stir.”

Recognizing early that computers were beginning to change the way people were working, playing, and even thinking, Dr. Zabinski founded National Computer Camps, Inc. (NCC) in 1977; it was the first summer camp program of its kind. Over the past 48 years, NCC has conducted camps from coast to coast, introducing thousands of students ages 8 to 18 to coding, robotics, and computer science.

Many former campers remain in contact with NCC’s visionary founder and president. “Just the other day,” Dr. Zabinski shared recently, “I heard from a physician specializing in robotic surgery. He told me that after attending camp, he went to Dartmouth, majored in computer science, and found a way to merge his interests, using computers to perform cutting-edge surgeries.”

Decades after the launch of NCC, Dr. Zabinski was dismayed that the percentage of girls participating in his computer camps averaged only around 10 percent. Taking the best practices from his NCC experiences, in the summer of 2005 he organized a Computer Technology Day Camp for Girls at Fairfield University, which aimed to close the gender gap in the technology field. “The feedback from parents was incredible. It was one of the highlights of my career,” he said of the program.

Fairfield engineering alumni recall Dr. Zabinski’s enthusiasm for engineering and often remark that his passion for the field left a deep impression. “What I remember fondly about my classroom experience was that he always had a smile on his face and seemed genuinely excited about teaching the material,” Gene Shimshock ’78 said. “His positive nature was contagious and his genuine passion for the engineering discipline and for the program itself made us feel that we were doing something important and productive with our education and lives.”

This ability to engage students with the material has defined Dr. Zabinski’s 55-year career, although he humbly deflects praise. “What I’ve done is teach,” he said. “I measure success by my students’ engagement and the impact of what I taught them.”

When he first arrived at Fairfield, Steven Bartlett ’90 was an undeclared major. “I realized I wanted to pursue engineering,” he said, “so I visited Dr. Zabinski and he had unbelievable energy around his relatively young 3+2 program. He helped me map out the path and succeed the entire way.”

Bartlett noted three key elements of Dr. Zabinski’s teaching style that stood apart from other faculty: “He had a love for the field of engineering, a true desire to educate and develop young adults in the field, and an ability to make it exciting and put it in context for the students.”

“To be honest, I would likely not be an engineer today if it were not for Dr. Zabinski,” said Bartlett, a director of engineering at Medtronic, a global leader in healthcare technology.

The 3+2 program in which Bartlett participated ended in 1994 when Fairfield University opened its own engineering school. The result of a merger with the Bridgeport Engineering Institute (BEI), the early BEI School of Engineering at Fairfield University, with two original electrical and mechanical engineering programs, was a forerunner of what we know today as Fairfield’s School of Engineering and Computing, which boasts six undergraduate and seven graduate programs.

Karim Kharbouch ’17 described how Dr. Zabinski’s structured teaching style pushed him and his classmates to master the fundamentals of engineering. “His class instruction mirrored the way he wanted you to study and analyze engineering problems at hand. He drilled his method of analysis during class until everyone was proficient,” he said. “This style pushed many students, including myself, to get very organized and perform well under pressure.”

Through his decades of teaching at Fairfield, Dr. Zabinski’s ability to inspire students and stay connected with them after they graduate has led to alumni collaborations that benefit current students in the School of Engineering and Computing. Bartlett, a member of Fairfield’s mechanical engineering industry advisory board, reflected on the fullcircle nature of their connection. “I was always grateful to Dr. Zabinski for his guidance and support as I found my path forward in college,” he said. “As I moved into industry, I found it exciting to reconnect with him and enable his continued work to educate students through industry tours and internship opportunities.”

Kharbouch, a mechanical engineer at Northeast Laser and Electropolish – a leading provider of industrial marking machinery solutions, credits his collaboration with Dr. Zabinski on his senior design project with helping him develop leadership skills. “I learned quite a bit about how to manage young engineers and challenge them to learn through project work,” he said.

After a 55-year teaching career at Fairfield, Dr. Zabinski retired in fall 2024. At a special ceremony in November, the University officially named the Mechanical Engineering Department in his honor. At the sign unveiling, Dr. Zabinski expressed gratitude. “I’ve had the privilege of working with brilliant colleagues and exceptional students,” he said. “Their curiosity and excellence have been the driving force behind my passion for teaching.”

For alumni like Bartlett, Kharbouch, and Shimshock, Dr. Zabinski’s legacy is defined by his passion, innovation, and his belief in the potential of Fairfield engineering students. “Dr. Z is a cornerstone to the success of the engineering school at Fairfield,” Bartlett said. “There are literally thousands of mechanical engineers who owe their path and some of their success to him. I personally can attest to that and feel fortunate to have had Dr. Zabinski as part of my journey.”

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