Starting in April, Saqib Mukhtar will be working with drones to monitor crop disease and pests as the new associate dean and agriculture program leader of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension.
Mukhtar will be working with technology to ensure agricultural producers are as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible.
“The reason we went with Dr. Mukhtar is that he has a very strong background in research, as well as program extension delivery, and he has some very good ideas for advancing the innovativeness and entrepreneurial side of agriculture,” said Nick Place, the IFAS Extension dean.
Mukhtar will be joining the IFAS staff April 20, leaving his post as a Texas A&M University professor in the biological and agricultural engineering department and AgriLife Extension service leader.
Other associate deans of IFAS were paid around $150,000 last year.
Following a nationwide search, two candidates were brought to campus for interviews, Place said. The other was a candidate from University of Georgia.
“He’s really going to help us push the envelope in regards to doing a lot more cutting-edge kind of things and helping us to really advance the higher-end types of programs we do in all kinds of agriculture,” Place said.
Based on Mukhtar’s previous experiences, Place said he could tell that he will be a good leader and team builder.
“(Mukhtar will) mentor and coach faculty to help them be most productive and making sure they’re meeting the most pertinent needs of clientele around the state,” Place said.
Mukhtar said he is looking forward to influencing change with his leadership and vision.
“(The position) provides the opportunity to hopefully make a difference in the agricultural and horticultural programs,” Mukhtar said.
Mukhtar was drawn to the job for the UF/IFAS Extension program’s connection to Florida residents, he said.
“It has several very strong programs that have been developed by the thorough input from the citizens of Florida and very important stake holders,” Mukhtar said. “And I hope to be able to contribute to the emerging and existing issues in the area of agriculture and horticulture to improve the lives of the people of Florida and beyond.”
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 1/16/2015 under the headline “UF welcomes new IFAS dean to lead agriculture program"]
