UB loses another mainstay; interim provost leaving
Sobh takes academic post in Michigan
BRIDGEPORT — Tarek Sobh, interim provost at the University of Bridgeport and a longtime professor responsible for developing programs of innovation and bringing scores of international students to campus, announced Wednesday he is leaving the university.
The announcement, made in an email to staff and alumni, said Sobh will continue in his capacity as executive vice president until Aug. 31.
Sobh is to become provost of Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Mich.
Sobh declined to immediately comment on his departure.
UB’s Interim President Stephen Healey called Sobh a friend and someone he grew to count on.
“He will be missed,” Healey said.“Tarek has my gratitude for stepping into this role and supporting UB during this time of transition.”
Healey took over after former UB President Laura Trombley abruptly quit this spring for a job in Texas. She had been with the university for a year and a half.
UB, like higher education institutions across the country, moved all classes online this spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before that, the university was losing international students due to new immigration restrictions and was rapidly eating through the $33 million endowment it had when Trombley arrived in July 2018.
While many longtime staff members left over the past two years, Sobh remained.
Sobh has been with UB for 25 years, starting as an associate professor of computer science.
His expertise was in the fields of computer science and engineering, robotics, control theory, STEM education, automation, manufacturing, artificial intelligence, computer vision, and signal processing.
He was the founding director of several interdisciplinary programs and centers, including the CTech IncUBator, the UB research division, the Bauer Hall Innovation Center, as well as the Interdisciplinary Robotics, Intelligent Sensing, and Control (RISC) laboratory.
An internationally known researcher and scholar, Sobh received the American Society for Engineering Education’s Northeastern U.S. Distinguished Engineering Professor of the Year award, the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Northeast Technological
Innovation Research Award, and an American Council on Education's Higher Education Award.
On the Lawrence Technological University website, Sobh was described as an accomplished scientist and educator.
“In Dr. Sobh, we feel we have found an internationally recognized educational leader who will help us continue to improve Lawrence Tech’s strong academic programs,” said LTU President Virinder Moudgil in a statement.
LTU has about 4,500 students. UB had about the same the last time enrollments were reported to the state.
At LTU, Sobh will oversee four colleges, its library, and offices of eLearning, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, and Corporate and Community Partnerships.
Professor Khaled Elleithy, who is UB’s interim dean of the College of Engineering, Business and Education, said he has worked with Sobh for two decades in many capacities.
“In all these projects and initiatives Tarek demonstrated his leadership with a clear vision, and clear focus,” Elleithy said.
Together, the created new doctorate programs at UB that helped change its Carnegie classification.
Elleithy said Sobh’s commitment and passion will be missed.
Healey said UB has benefited from Sobh’s ingenuity and passion for scientific research, engineering, computer science, and STEM education.
“His ability to make industry connections on behalf of UB led to significant growth in the engineering program and in the College of Engineering, Business, and Education, resulting in countless academic and co-curricular opportunities for students,” Healey said.
Although Sobh was heavily involved in international recruitment, Healey said there is a recruitment funnel that is not overreliant on international students. So too will UB’s strong involvement in technological competitions.
“Tarek is off to his next opportunity,” Healey said. “We are ready to move forward.”