Leadership and Service:
- Citation Needed (Community Events; 2017 – 2018)
- Organized screening of film Food Evolution (300+ attendees), hosted Dr. Allison Van Eenennaam, and led discussion with audience and Dr. Van Eenennaam
- Coordinated monthly coffee hours and film screenings where students discussed controversial topics in science and how to communicate them with the public
- Citation Needed (President 2016 – 2017)
- Presided over an executive board of 9 student members and 2 faculty members
- Completed training and regulatory steps to make Citation Needed an official student organization with The Ohio State University
- Coordinated monthly “coffee hours”
- Coordinated visits of Dr. Cami Ryan, Dr. Paige Jarreau, and Dr. David Hughes
- Planned visits of Dr. David Hughes (partnering with the Ohio Agricultural Council) and Dr. Wamwari Waichungo
- Partially coordinated collaboration between the Columbus March for Science and Citation Needed
- CFAES Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education Search Committee Member, 2018
- Received implicit bias training
- Actively participated in candidate selection
- Coordinated lunches with students and candidates
- HCS-FST Discovery Themes Search Committee (January – August 2017)
- Student member of a search committee seeking a plant biochemist with experience in metabolomics.
- HCS Graduate Research Retreat Funding Chair (January– October 2017)
- Coordinating meetings and funding efforts for the 2017 graduate research retreat. Working with the office of advancement to more effectively raise money for this event.
- HCS Graduate Research Retreat Co-Chair (April – October, 2016)
- Coordinated a student board of 8 members to plan and execute a department-wide retreat featuring a poster competition, oral presentation competition, guest speaker, and multiple meals.
- Head of Horticulture Research Retreat Planning Committee, 2015
- Presided over a student board of 4 members to plan and execute a department-wide retreat featuring a poster competition, oral presentation competition, and activities aimed at increasing departmental cohesiveness
- Disability Resource Center Peer Mentor (2014-2015)
- Advised two freshman students with learning disabilities during their first year.
- President of Horticulture Graduate Student Committee, 2014-2015
- Coordinated outings (e.g. hiking) to increase cohesiveness among graduate students within the Horticulture and Landscaping Department
- Created a five-year strategic plan for future leaders to allow for continued graduate student cohesiveness and wellbeing within the department
- Vice-President of Horticulture Graduate Student Committee, 2013-2014
- Mitchell Lab Outreach Coordinator (2013-2015)
- Coordinated public talks, social media outreach, and produce donation to St. John’s Food Pantry (> 150 lbs. /semester)
- Tippecanoe County Master Gardener Association (2014-2015)
- Completed Master Gardner training and participated in local outreach projects
- Student Farm Manager Search Committee, Fall 2013
- Co-founded Purdue University’s first Student Farm (2010-2015)
- Charter member of the Purdue Student Farm. Helped clear a 5-acre space, constructed infrastructure, and established contracts with local chefs, student dining facilities, and a community-supported agriculture program.
Blog Posts:
- Dzakovich, M.P. Ultraviolet B: invisible light with a visible impact. LightHort. (available at: http://lighthort.com/2016/09/05/ultraviolet-b-invisible-light-visible-effects-plants/ )
- Dzakovich, M.P. 2015. An African plant breeder’s opinion on GMOs. Biofortified. (available at: https://www.biofortified.org/2015/09/african-plant-breeder-on-gmos/)
- Dzakovich, M.P. 2015. Research shines colorful light on greenhouse crops. Cornell Alliance for Science (available at: http://allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/researcher-shines-colorful-light-greenhouse-crops )
- Dzakovich, M.P. 2015 GMO “Right to Know” movement takes food off of plates of hungry in Africa, Asia. Genetic Literacy Project (available at: https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/06/25/gmo-right-to-know-movement-takes-food-off-of-plates-of-hungry-in-africa-asia/ )
Invited Lectures to the Public:
- Dzakovich, M.P., Cooperstone, J.L., Riedl, K.M., Schwartz, S.J., Francis, D.M. Purée to Peaks in 15 Minutes: A Rapid Carotenoid Extraction and UHPLC-PDA Analysis Workflow for Tomato. Kowlett Seminar Series. April 17th, 2018. Columbus, OH (Oral)
- Dzakovich, M.P., What’s Light Got to Do with It? Skype a Scientist (Class of 19, 2nd grade students) April 11th, 2018
- Talk about how light influences plant growth and development and the scientific
- Dzakovich, M.P. National Association of Plant Breeders Science Communication Panelist
- Dzakovich, M.P. Beyond the P-Value: Making the Most of an Analysis of Variance Using R. The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
- Live demonstration using R and R Markdown to run fixed and random effects linear models
- Dzakovich, M.P. Increasing the Value of Horticultural Crops Using LEDs. LED Symposium. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
- LED Symposium, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
- Dzakovich, M.P. The Future of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
- Next Generation Scholars (NGS)-related tour of local eight graders through our greenhouse facilities (~70 students)
- Dzakovich, M.P. From Fundamental Photobiology to a More Wholesome Tomato, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
- Connecting basic photobiology principles to environmental manipulation of tomatoes
- Dzakovich, M.P. Greenhouse Practices for High-Wire Tomato Production, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
- Current practices in greenhouse tomato production
- Dzakovich, M.P. Sustainable Herb Production in Indiana. Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
- Uses, marketing, chemical ecology, and integration into sustainable cropping systems
- Dzakovich, M.P. Lavender Production in France. University of Wyoming, 2013 (Virtual lecture)
- Cultivation and distillation of lavender in south-central France