University of Bridgeport’s (UB) College of Arts & Sciences has been renamed the College of Science & Society, effective immediately.

The UB College of Science & Society is led by its new dean, Dr. Kathleen Engelmann. The academic degree programs within the college include programs within the college include biology, mathematics, psychology, counseling, human services, criminal justice, English, music, and general studies.

“The Science & Society name better reflects the programs we now offer within the College and is aligned with UB’s focus on career development,” said Dean Engelmann. “I look forward to helping our students succeed in their chosen fields of study so that they can apply what they learn both inside and outside the classroom to their future careers.”

In addition to the appointment of Dr. Engelmann as Dean of the College of Science & Society, UB has also named Dr. Michael Ciolfi as Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Dr. Khaled Elleithy as Dean of the College of Engineering, Business, and Education.

As leaders in their fields, Kathleen, Michael and Khaled have been instrumental to the success of the University’s academic programs,” said Manyul Im, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Bridgeport. “They have also shown tremendous leadership in their service to our students and their fellow faculty members, particularly during the challenges of the pandemic. I look forward to watching them excel in their new roles.”

About the Deans

College of Health Sciences

After serving as Interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences for the past year, Dr. Michael Ciolfi has officially assumed the role of Dean. He will continue to serve as the Director of the School of Chiropractic. Dr. Ciolfi has led the School of Chiropractic at UB for the past six years. His research focuses on the implementation of business knowledge in chiropractic education and practice to contribute to sustainable health care solutions and has been published in notable outlets including the Journal of Chiropractic Education.

Prior to his time at UB, Dr. Ciolfi served as the Director of Education at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto and practiced as a clinician for 15 years in Canada and Florida. He earned a DBA from Walden University, an MBA from the University of Fredericton, and his DC and BS from Life University. He also graduated from Land Forces Command and Staff College and earned a HBPE degree from Lakehead University.

College of Engineering, Business, and Education

Dr. Khaled Elleithy, who has served as Interim Dean of the College of Engineering, Business, and Education since April 2020, has been appointed Dean of the College. Dr. Elleithy is a Distinguished Professor who has served UB students for more than 20 years. He has played a key role in the success of UB’s computer science and engineering department by managing and expanding UB’s programs and increasing research funding. In addition to serving as a Distinguished Professor, Dr. Elleithy has also held the positions of Associate Dean and Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research.

Throughout his 30-year career in education, Dr. Elleithy has been recognized with more than 40 awards, published more than 400 research papers in national and international journals, and presented at conferences around the world on topics including network security, wireless communications, and quantum cryptography. He earned his Ph.D. and MS from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, as well as an MS and BS from the University of Alexandria, Egypt.

Dr. Elleithy is the recipient of the Distinguished Professor of the Year Award of University of Bridgeport in the academic year 2005. He was the recipient of the 2015 Connecticut Quality Improvement Award (CQIA) Gold Innovation Award. In December 2017, he was elected Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences to recognize his contributions to Wireless Sensor Networks and Wireless Communications. In 2020, he received the IEEE Connecticut Section Outstanding Member in Academia.

College of Science & Society

Dr. Kathleen Engelmann has been named Dean of the College of Science and Society. Dr. Engelmann has served as an associate professor of biology since 2014 and chair of the undergraduate biology program since 2017. She has also served as Faculty Council President.

Since joining the UB faculty 14 years ago, Dr. Engelmann has helped to develop more than 40 programs, courses, and seminars, and has participated in key UB programs and initiatives including the DEI Council, University Senate and Faculty Research Council, among others. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut and her MA and BS from the University of Illinois.