Interview with Adam J. Silagyi

by Lacey Mount, DPM Alumna, Dellavalle Laboratory, Inc., Fresno, CA | DPM Newsletter Fall 2013

Adam J. Silagyi became the world’s first Doctor of Plant Medicine in 2003. He also holds a Master of Science in Entomology from Purdue University, but he elected to make D.P.M. the end of his academic training. Currently, as an Agricultural Development Officer for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Dr. Silagyi helps with the implementation of the U.S. Presidential Initiative Feed the Future in Guatemala. Prior to USAID, Dr. Silagyi also worked for such agencies as the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Division of Plant Industry (DPI), and the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection & Quarantine (PPQ) Department. Delving further into his past, we find Dr. Silagyi conducting research as an intern at the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, CATIE) in Costa Rica CocaCola World Citizenship Program in Bolivia. Dr. Silagyi also spent time in the Peace Corps in Paraguay. So, what made him choose the D.P.M. over a traditional Ph.D.? “Personally, I learned a lot during my master’s degree; conducted agricultural research in the field, understand its importance. But I did not want to continue with a Ph.D., which is purely research. When I was walking down the hall at Purdue I saw a poster advertising and describing the newly formed D.P.M. program at my alma matter. I hold a B.Sc. in Agronomy from the University of Florida. I immediately spoke to my wife about this great opportunity to continue my education that was holistic and practical, and would take us back to Florida and family.”