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Professor Irina Makarevitch 2014

Irina Makarevitch

Associate Provost for Accreditation and Compliance; Department Chair - Mathematics

Irina Makarevitch received a BS in Molecular Biology from Novosibirsk State University in Russia and a MS and PhD in Plant Breeding/Molecular Genetics from the University of Minnesota. Irina is a plant geneticist by training and a passionate biology educator. In her research program, she collaborates with her colleagues and students on understanding genetic and epigenetic mechanisms in regulation of stress response in maize. In her classroom, Professor Makarevitch develops and implements novel inquiry-driven and research-based laboratory projects.

Professor Makarevich approaches biology with the guiding principal that it is a subject relevant to all students, regardless of their background or future career plans. Biology can be found in many of the hot issues of the day, from environmental pollution to genetically modified organisms. By becoming more aware of issues facing the world, students can become more actively involved in shaping it. In her classroom, students are expected to do more then just memorize facts, but emplore how scientific theories came to be. They will enhance research skills, learn how to critically analyze facts, and form their own opinions, backed by scientific evidence. These skills will continue to aid them in their future professional and social lives.

"In one of the popular Russian movies, the motto of the main characters is: 'to fight and to seek, to find and not to give up'. I want to encourage my students to follow these words in science and in their future lives. I hope to continue to fascinate students with biology because seeing a sparkle of interest in eyes of students and knowing that it exists because I helped them see the wonders of living world is the best reward a teacher could get."

-Irina Makarevich

Waters AJ, Makarevitch I, Noshay J, Burghardt LT, Hirsch CN, Hirsch CD, Springer NM. (2017) Natural variation for gene expression responses to abiotic stress in maize. Plant J. 89:706-717

Makarevitch I, Martinez-Vaz B. (2017) Killing two birds with one stone: Model plant systems as a tool to teach the fundamental concepts of gene expression while analyzing biological data. Biochmi Biophys Acta. 1860:166-173

Li Q, Gent JI, Zynda G, Song J, Makarevitch I, Hirsch CD, Hirsch CN, Dawe RK, Madzima TF, McGinnis KM, Lisch D, Schmitz RJ, Vaughn MW, Springer NM. (2015) RNA-directed DNA methylation enforces boundaries between heterochromatin and euchromatin in the maize genome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 112):14728:14733.

Makarevitch I, Frechette C, Wiatros N. (2015) Authentic Research Experience and "Big Data" Analysis in the Classroom: Maize Response to Abiotic Stress. CBE Life Sci Educ.14 (3).

Makarevitch I, Waters AJ, West PT, Stitzer M, Hirsch CN, Ross-Ibarra J, Springer NM. (2015) Transposable Elements Contribute to Activation of Maize Genes in Response to Abiotic Stress PLOS Genet 11: e1004915.