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Twenty-three years ago,
T. Roger Manley twisted the arm of a Harris Corp. employee to get him to begin teaching as an adjunct professor at Florida Tech.
Today, that reluctant adjunct professor, Muzaffar Shaikh, is the associate provost for academic outreach as well as a full-time professor and the department head of engineering systems at Florida Tech.
Shaikh is originally from a town near Mumbai, India. He began his educational journey at the University of Bombay, picking up a B.S. in mechanical engineering. Following his undergraduate education, Shaikh came to the United States to get a master’s degree in industrial engineering at Kansas State University. He then continued his education at the University of Illinois, earning a doctorate in industrial engineering.
After completing his doctorate degree, Shaikh stayed in Illinois and took a job as an internal consultant for Caterpillar Inc., where he worked for more than 17 years. In 1985, Shaikh decided to leave the cold weather behind and took a job with Harris Corp. in Melbourne.
After teaching adjunct for two years, Shaikh joined the College of Business as a full-time professor teaching courses in quantitative methods, statistics and computer information systems.
“I feel most comfortable in the classroom,” said Shaikh. “I feel very satisfied when a student understands a complex engineering or mathematical concept in a simplified manner.”
During his time here, Shaikh has seen many changes in the engineering systems department and in Florida Tech as a whole.
“Florida Tech has come a long way, from annexes to these new buildings,” said Shaikh.
Of his recent accomplishments, Shaikh is most proud of the growth of his program.
“We went from zero to 250 students in just four years,” said Shaikh.
When he’s not in the classroom, Shaikh enjoys running and playing tennis. He has been running since childhood and has completed four marathons, including the inaugural Disney World Marathon in 1994.
After 23 years at Florida Tech, Shaikh is excited to see the changes the Golden Anniversary Campaign for Florida Tech will bring and has no plans of leaving anytime soon.
“It’s really amazing how Florida Tech has evolved. With the capital campaign, President Catanese plans to make Florida Tech a top school in the Southeast, and I wish to be a part of that.”
Jenny McCoy |
