Meet Mushtaq

Mushtaq Khan is the new professor of microbiology at St. Ambrose University. He comes to St. Ambrose after spending the last 16 years teaching in Saudi Arabia.

Khan specialized in biotechnology, specifically in plant diseases and breeding. His tasks in Saudi Arabia were to establish labs and greenhouses and build up the agricultural department. “Development of agriculture is important in Saudi Arabia, because it is very difficult to make things grow in the desert,” Khan states.

Khan was born in India and graduated from the University of India. He came to the United States in 1970. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin--Madison in 1996. He spent the next year working in Madison.

Khan spoke of the similarities and differences between Saudi and American education.

“They have highly paid professors and their students still receive a poor education. There is no competition. No challenge. Their jobs are fixed and they are spoon fed everything. I would be interested to see how a Saudi Arabian student would fare in an American university.”

Saudi Arabia actually spends more money, per student, than the United States. They receive free boarding, free parking and their meals only cost a dollar, Khan states.

Khan says he likes working at St. Ambrose University. He says he prefers working at a smaller school with smaller classes giving him more contact with his students.

“30 to 35 students is about the perfect size.”

In his spare time professor Khan enjoys table tennis, soccer and building computers.

“I have become obsessed,” he states.