Dr. Ahmed Kamel grew up in Egypt, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s in computer engineering at Cairo University. He then moved to the United States to pursue a doctorate in computer science with a specialization in artificial intelligence (AI) from Michigan State University. In 2013, he completed his Master of Business Administration degree at North Dakota State University. He continues to do research in AI and has more than 60 publications.

At Concordia, Kamel is a professor of computer science and management information systems (MIS), as well as the associate dean of the Offutt School of Business. Since 2005, he has been teaching many computer science-related courses, including databases, operating systems, software engineering, computer security, and AI. He previously taught at Eastern Connecticut State University for two years and at NDSU for six years.

“Concordia students take their studies seriously and they are very dedicated,” he says. “Also, the smaller class sizes allow me to know students individually and enable me to tailor my teaching to their individual needs.”

Concordia’s unique sense of community where students, faculty, and staff know each other and work together to accomplish goals for the benefit of the whole community is what brought Kamel to Concordia.

Computer science is housed in the Grant Center’s Offutt School of Business, which Kamel believes is in a trajectory of growth. The department has its own career services office, the Anderson Office of Career Success, to serve the specific needs of students in the Offutt School and recently launched a state-of-the-art Innovation Lab.

Kamel’s passion for working with people in all dimensions of diversity shows both within and beyond the campus community. He serves as a member of the President’s Interfaith Advisory Council at Concordia and the board of directors of the FM Interfaith Center. In addition to organizing and attending interfaith-related events, Kamel makes it a point to be a part of as many events as he can that honor and celebrate any and all underrepresented groups.

Kamel has advice for students who are considering computer science or MIS as their field of study.

“You have chosen a great field with huge potential. It is never boring and you will continue to learn new information throughout your entire career,” he says. “Computer science deals with solving problems encountered by individuals from all disciplines, whether it be developing software to meet a particular need, managing IT infrastructure, or securing computer resources against external threats. Currently, seven of the 10 most needed jobs are in the computer field, which makes that area of study highly attractive. MIS is a field that bridges the gap between IT and business administration, which is another very highly sought-after area. We equip our students for all these challenges through our coursework and through projects they undertake.”

Kamel’s best life tip for students and other faculty is to find a balance.

“Make sure to have a balance in life between the professional and the personal and, above all, make time to develop meaningful relations with people who are different from yourself – you will find yourself,” he says.

During his free time, Kamel enjoys reading and spending time with his son.

^{Published March 2019}