Florida Tech Welcomes Three New Deans
– Three new deans will start the 2005-2006 academic year with the students at Florida Tech. They are Thomas D. Waite, dean for the College of Engineering;
David M. Steele, dean for the College of Business; and Clifford R. Bragdon, inaugural dean of University College. All will start Aug. 1. “These new
appointments to our leadership team bring with them excellent credentials that highlight our growing academic reputation. These three new leaders will help
us continue to build on our reputation,” said President Anthony Catanese.
Waite is currently at the National Science Foundation in Arlington, Va. where he is program director, environmental engineering and technology, Division of
Bioengineering and Environmental Systems, with responsibility for awarding more than $15 million in grants, annually. He also is a professor of
environmental engineering and associate dean of research and graduate studies at the University of Miami. He has published three books and more than 50
scientific papers.
“I am truly excited about joining the Florida Tech family and look forward to helping the College of Engineering move to the next level of excellence,”
said Waite.
Waite earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Northeastern University and master’s and doctoral degrees in environmental
engineering from Harvard University.
Venezuela-born Steele currently is the dean of Silberman College of Business at Fairleigh Dickinson University, with campuses in Madison and Teaneck,
N.J.
Previously, he was an executive consultant to four international startup ventures and interim CEO of Online Resolution Inc., a software startup. He had a
distinguished technical and business career at Chevron Corporation, including the position of president of Chevron Latin America.
Steele earned bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering at Birmingham University in England. He also completed graduate business training at
the University of California, Berkeley and at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
“This appointment will allow me to integrate my R&D, engineering, information technology and global business backgrounds at an innovative institution
like Florida Tech,” said Steele.
One of Bragdon’s most notable posts was associate vice president for extension and continuing education at Georgia Tech, where he is credited with greatly
expanding programs and their national ranking. He currently is executive director of the 12-university-consortium Center for Intermodal Transportation
Safety and Security. Bragdon previously served as vice president and dean for the National Aviation and Transportation Center at Dowling College in New
York.
He holds a patent for inventing the Intermodal Transportation Simulation System. Besides publishing four books and 100 articles, he enjoys a nationally
recognized reputation as a technology visionary and has achieved distinction as an industry leader for community action programs on four continents-North
America, South America, Europe and Asia.
“I am very pleased about this opportunity to direct the new University College at Florida Tech. I look forward to enhancing the collaboration between
business, government and academia to further advance Florida Tech’s national and international reputation,” he said.
Bragdon earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from Westminster College in Missouri; a master’s degree in urban planning from
Michigan State University; and a doctoral degree in city planning from the University of Pennsylvania.
“We are delighted to begin the new year with a full academic team and are very proud of the caliber of these new leaders,” said Provost and Chief Academic
Officer, T. Dwayne McCay.
Florida Tech is the only private, comprehensive technological university in the Southeast and grants degrees through the doctorate. The university has been
named as one of America’s best colleges by U.S. News & World Report for 14 consecutive years.
