Nick Zaczkowski

Dr. Zaczkowski received his B.S. in biology from St. John's University, Collegeville (MN).  H earned his M.S. in Biology from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and his Ph.D. in Botany from North Dakota State University.  He completed additional botanical studies at the University of Minnesota Biological Station at Lake Itasca, the University of Montana - Flathead Lake, and Emporia State University (KS). 

His chief botanical interest is floristics, having collected, photographed and conducted field trips in all the major life zones of North America from the Sonoran Desert of the Southwest to the alpine tundra of the Rocky Mountains.  He has studied changes in vegetation associated with strip mining in western North Dakota as well as the pre-operational flora at the Northern States Power generating plant in Monticello (MN).  Dr. Zaczkowski also also published on the breeding biology of Vaux's Swift. 

Dr. Zaczkowski taught for many years in the joint biology department of the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University.   Among the courses he taught were Concepts of Biology (Biol 115 & 116), Plant taxonomy, Plant Kingdom, Aquatic Ecology and a popular January Term course, Biology of the Sonoran Desert.  He had numerous advisees, at least one of which who went on to earn a Ph.D.  He is an expert on the local flora, especially prairie species.

Dr. Zaczkowski retired from full-time teaching in 1996 but continues to work in the herbarium nearly daily.  He was actively involved in conducting botanical studies at Quarry Park (Waite Park, MN).  and among his recent projects are to locate remnant tall-grass prairies of central Minnesota and document the plants.  He has also been working on digitizing his extensive collection of 2 x 2 color slides.