Scott Manzo, Intuitive Surgical's managing principal engineer in Connecticut Scott Manzo, Intuitive Surgical's managing principal engineer in Connecticut × As a faculty member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Binghamton University’s Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science, he generally focuses with his students in the Nano-Micro Thermal Group on heat transfer, additive manufacturing and related topics. But when COVID-19 reached U.S. shores last March, Schiffres wondered how to make the most effective mask that would block the coronavirus. He started doing tests with materials he had around his house or could purchase at local hardware stores, using a particle analyzer that he borrowed from Watson College’s cleanroom. To document his findings, he recorded and posted videos to YouTube.