Dear Selection Committee,

I am writing this letter to give my highest possible recommendation for Mr. Smith. I know Mr.
Smith through his work in my laboratory. Mr. Smith first approached me two years ago about the
possibility of work in my laboratory for a summer. At our first meeting I described the general
outline of the project the he might work on. He asked good questions and appeared intelligent.
He then went to the library and found many papers on the subject and read them carefully. He
did this independently - I did not ask him to do this. I learned that he had done this at our second
meeting, and I was quite impressed at his motivation and independence. Mr. Smith obtained
funding from a program at our University to work in the lab for a summer

During that summer, Mr. Smith demonstrated the ability to work independently with great
creativity and enthusiasm. He also put in many long hours. He worked as hard as my best
graduate student. I teamed Mr. Smith with another student to work on a project involving testing
of patients having shoulder pathology. The project included recruiting patients, testing patients
using biomechanical instrumentation, and data analysis. Mr. Smith excelled in each one of these
areas. His interpersonal skills were excellent. He schmoozed the clinical staff to facilitate
recruitment of patients. He tested the patients professionally. Sometimes this testing required
long days due to the extensive setup and calibration of equipment each morning before the clinic
began operation. He stayed after the testing sessions to back up data, clean up the area, and start
data processing programs to run overnight. He was
usually the first one in the lab in the morning and the last to leave in the evening.
The other student working with Mr. Smith commented favorably about working with Mr. Smith.
He said the Mr. Smith got along well with everyone, pulled his own weight on the project, and
had the ability to compromise with other team members. One incident illustrates this point. There
is a staff member in an adjoining lab that is a rather prickly person who has had many problems
with students in the past. Mr. Smith had to interact with this staff person in order to get his
project done. Mr. Smith was able to find a common interest with this staff person, which was
folk dancing, and build a rapport based on this mutual interest. At the end of the summer the staff
person noted what a pleasure it was to work with Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith also volunteered to help others in the lab. One of the other students was doing a
project on knee biomechanics, and it required harvesting knees from the Universitys morgue.
Mr. Smith volunteered to help harvest the knees on several occasions. I asked the graduate
student in charge of that project about Mr. Smith, and he commented that Mr. Smith has
excellent dissection skills.
I was especially taken by Mr. Smiths creative mind and independent work ethic. He continued
to read the literature
independently and generate interesting hypotheses. We met about every other week, and at
several meetings he presented papers and information that was new to me. By the end of the
summer he was introducing me to scientific papers that were directly relevant to his study that I
hadnt seen before. Mr. Smith also showed remarkable problem solving ability. Our
instrumentation system began having problems midway through his experiment. Mr. Smith spent
a full weekend troubleshooting the system. He discovered there was a loose wire in the A/D
connection box.
Mr. Smith is going to be first author on a manuscript that he is preparing for publication. He
followed through on his
promise to write the manuscript during his M2 year. Moreover, he handled the manuscript
revisions and saw the manuscript through to publication. This illustrates his high level of
motivation.
In summary, Mr. Smith is clearly the best student I have worked with in the last 10 years. I
would very much like him match
to our residency program. Even though I hope he stays here, I think he would be an outstanding
asset to your program. I give him
my highest recommendation.
Sincerely,
Richard Hughes, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

.

Dear Sally:

I am delighted to recommend Thomas Trulystellar for admission to the graduate program in

astronomy at Universe University. Mr. Trulystellar, who in May will receive his BS in earth and
planetary science, is the most outstanding undergraduate I have worked with in the last decade,
and I believe he has the makings of an excellent researcher.
I first met Mr. Trulystellar in his freshman year, when he took the course Fundamentals of
Planetary Science from me. Afterward he arranged to work with my group through the
undergraduate research awards program. Despite a heavy course load, he has spent 10 to 20
hours per week with us every semester. He also worked with us the past two summers. As well
as contributing to our project on _____, he completed a study using _____ to ______. In October
he presented his findings in a poster at the International _____ Symposium, and a paper based on
this study has been accepted by the Journal of _____. I am impressed with his fund of
knowledge, his diligence and resourcefulness, and his adeptness in the research setting. Mr.
Trulystellars classroom work has likewise been exemplary, earning him election to Phi Beta
Kappa in his junior year. He also is well-rounded, participating in intramural sports and writing a
column for the campus newspaper. Despite his achievements, he is down-to-earth and
unassuming, and his warm personality makes working with him especially enjoyable. I look
forward to discussing his qualifications further when I see you at AAAS.
In short, Mr. Trulystellar shows exceptional promise for a career in astronomy, and I look
forward to having him as a colleague. I recommend him with enthusiasm.

Sincerely,

Dear Members of the Search Committee,
It is my pleasure to recommend Dr. Stephen Hoffmann for the position of Assistant Professor in
your department. Stephen completed his Ph.D. in my lab and is one of the most outstanding
researchers to emerge from my lab. I recommend him to you highly.
In my lab Dr. Hoffmann cloned and characterized the gliD gene from Cytophaga johnsoniae. He
made the intriguing discovery that the GliD protein is required for gliding behavior in Cytophaga
and its human homologue is associated with a highly metastatic form of breast cancer. This
observation suggests that there may be common features in bacterial gliding motility and
mobility of human tumor cells. Dr. Hoffmann initiated a highly productive collaboration with
Professor David Whitely that led to the crystallization and high resolution structure of the GliD
protein. Dr. Hoffmann brought that work to fruition in a PNAS paper, on which he is the senior
author. In addition to the PNAS paper, Dr. Hoffmann published three other papers from his
thesis, which attest to his hard work, biological insight, and outstanding writing skills. Dr.
Hoffmann proved himself an outstanding researcher and valued colleague.
Dr. Hoffmann continued to produce original research as a postdoc in Jim Wooleys lab working
on Bacillus subtilis development. Once again, Dr. Hoffmann discovered a gene that is found in
both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, this time in a search for sporulation genes in B. subtilis. He
identified a new sporulation gene, designated spoW, which has a mammalian homologue that
appears to be associated with lymphocyte differentiation and maturation. Although that work is
not yet published, it has a bright future. The project was technically challenging, but Dr. Hoff-
mann has surmounted all of the obstacles and a genetic and biochemical analysis of the spoW
allele and its product will be ready for publication soon. Given Dr. Hoffmanns past record in
publishing research, I have no doubt that this work will be published in a top-tier journal.
Dr. Hoffmann proved himself to be a capable mentor and teacher. He has supervised three
undergraduate researchers. He is clearly able to transmit his passion and talent for research to
young scientists. Similarly, his classroom teaching was met with rave reviews. Dr. Hoffmann is
one of my few colleagues to whom I will entrust my class when I travel. Dr. Hoffmann was also
a terrific citizen and a leader in my lab. He handled responsibility well, was resourceful, and took
initiative to maintain equipment and ensure that safety standards were met. He took on many of
the responsibilities of a faculty member and excelled in everything he did.
In short, I give Stephen my highest recommendation. He is one of my finest colleaguesan
outstanding researcher and talented teacher. He has demonstrated an uncanny ability to unmask
genes that play parallel roles in bacteria and mammals, and I expect him to be one of the leading
researchers in his field. He would be a good catch for any department and I urge you to consider
his candidacy seriously.
Sincerely,
Theodore Corvallis
Distinguished University Professor

............................................................................................................................................................
..........................................

Dear Dr. Carpenter:
I am writing to strongly recommend Dr. Ann Anderson for a position as an Assistant
Professor in the Department of Science at Universal University. Anne was a graduate student in
my research group for 4 years, from 1997 to 2001, and we have stayed in close touch during her
subsequent postdoctoral work with Dr. Naim Mustaf. Ann was in the top 1% of all the graduate
students I have seen in my 34 years as a faculty
member; indeed, of the 18 students I have personally supervised, she was one of the two best. I
would compare her favorably to my former student Bill Roberts, who now holds an endowed
chair at Constant College. Among more junior faculty members in her field, I would say she is at
least as good at Susan Samuels, Ted Thompson, and Roger Roberts. Let me comment on several
of the reasons that I hold Ann in such high esteem. First, Ann is extremely bright and creative. In
this regard several specific qualities come to mind. She has a wonderful eye for selecting the
right study from among the many that are possible. She does not let herself get distracted by less
important observations that occur along the way. And she knows when to stop and write up her
work for publication not too soon, and not too late. During her graduate work, Ann made many
important discoveries. These have been presented at both national and international meetings and
have been published in highly prestigious scientific journals. These include the observation that
[]. She was also the first to
show that []. Second, Ann is very highly motivated to succeed. Although she does aim to lead
a balanced life (e.g., taking music seriously and doing some tutoring for disadvantaged high
school students), she works long hours and is almost always in the lab for at least part of each
weekend. Indeed, I would say it is an unusual week in which she does not spend at least 70 hours
in our research area collecting and analyzing data or at home reading relevant papers and writing
manuscripts. She also understands the importance of going to the right meetings, publishing in
the right journals, and getting to know the right people.

Third, Ann is a wonderful member of a research community. She was always ready to
help others in my group (though she did not use this to avoid doing her own work as I have seen
some do!). And she did more than help she showed the makings of a great teacher and
supervisor. Indeed, I have seen her instruct college students, graduate students, and even
postdocs and other faculty members. She is patient yet demanding. And having had her give a
few lectures in my undergraduate courses, I also know that she is excellent at this, too, as you
will discover if she is invited to give a seminar. She also was often the person who ordered
material that was about to run out, making sure that common areas were kept clean, and other
sorts of things that all too often are not done and cause friction within a research group. Finally, I
should add that Anne is extremely personable. She got along with everyone, from the most junior
lab aid to the department chair. Always a smile and a good word, never the sort of doom and
gloom that one all too often encounters in a student struggling to finish their thesis and move on.
As I noted at the outset I have remained in touch with Anne since she received her PhD. I have
seen her at professional meetings, and she contacts me from time to time, even alerting me to
important papers that I might otherwise have missed. I also have spoken several times to Dr.
Mustaf, and am pleased though hardly surprised to have learned that the qualities Ann
exhibited as a graduate student have continued to be manifest in her postdoctoral work. If I could
find a way to create a proper position for Ann here at Euphoria I would do so in a minute.
Indeed, I have approached people here about creating such a position. However, it would be a
while before that could happen. Moreover, it is probably best for Ann to initiate her faculty
career at a new institution. And among such institutions, I believe that Universal University
would be a wonderful choice given its commitment to [her area of research]. In fact, the position
Ann has described sounds like it was made for her, allowing her to start her own group in her
area of interest and expertise, and in an institution with great depth in her areas of
interest. I recommend her without the slightest reservation and with the greatest enthusiasm. I
assure you that within the next few years Ann will become a leader in her field and a prized
member of your faculty. In order to speed this note to you, I am sending it by email and will
follow up today with a hard copy for your files. Please feel free to contact me if there is any
further information that I might provide.
Sincerely,
IMA Professor
I. M. A. Professor, Ph.D.
Co-director, Center of Excellence
............................................................................................................................................

I have known K. Zimmermann since 2003, when he started his masters thesis under my
supervision. The master thesis proposed the so called class-specific extremal regions, a subset of
extremal regions whose shape commonly occurs in images of objects from some class. Results of
Karels MSc thesis were of a quality sufficient for publication at a good international conference
and after showing interest in post-graduate study, he was accepted into the PhD programme.
During his PhD, Karel confirmed his ability to perform high-quality research, already evident in
the
MSc thesis. He is well motivated, hard working, and independent. Naturally, he needed advice
and
guidance, but at the level of ideas, directions, priorities. It was very pleasant for the supervisor to
see that once goals were set, one did not have to worry about Karels progress. In due course,
Karel
would bring the results back. As the PhD progressed, Karel was getting more and more
independent, setting his own research goals.
Karel submitted his thesis in about 3 and half years, which is, by CTU standards, very early.
The quality of his results are demonstrated by the fact that a paper describing the core
contribution
of the thesis has been accepted to IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine
Intelligence,
the most prestigious journal in the field.
In conclusion, I recommend K. Zimmermanns thesis be accepted for defense.
The letter has been shown to K. Zimmermanns co-supervisor, T. Svoboda and he concurs with
my opinions.
Doc. Dr. Ing. J. Matas,
Supervisor

............................................................................................................................................................
......
Ms. M. worked for me as a research assistant in the lab and in the field at a remote camp in the
XXX from May 2010-August 2010. Through this work experience I was able to observe M. in
the lab, but not while she was in the field; as I was conducting research at another site
approximately 100 km away. However, while she was in the field we communicated at least
weekly by satellite phone. Currently, M. is conducting an undergraduate thesis project under my
supervision, which has allowed me to observe her more closely in the lab over the past few
months. Hence, I have had the opportunity to observe her skills in the lab and assess her
performance and judgment in the field. I have not observed M. as a student in the classroom.
Rarely have I seen such a remarkable record from an undergraduate at Queen's. I can only think
of one other student with an equal transcript, and that student was awarded an NSERC PSD
award this year to study abroad.
The work M. carried out this summer was both physically and mentally challenging due to the
long work days and harsh conditions. She demonstrated sound judgment in carrying out the
science and dealing with several equipment failures. Other researchers and graduate students
who did observe M. in the field reported that she was a reliable and valued member in camp, and
was thoroughly engaged in the science. She demonstrated initiative by taking on additional
sample collection to investigate changes in water quality with distance down slope from XX. In
the lab over the past few months M. has proven to be organized, thoughtful and careful. She is
not intimidated by the complicated analytical equipment (which is very rare for an undergraduate
student), but rather tackles each step of her analysis with careful consideration and confidence.
She is a reliable and meticulous worker in the lab.
In sum both her field and laboratory work demonstrate that she has excellent communication
skills, interpersonal abilities, and sound judgment. I strongly recommend M. for an NSERC
graduate scholarship. She is a remarkable individual, who demonstrates excellent research
potential and all the qualities of a strong academic

............................................................................................................................................................
..........................................

To Whom It May Concern,

Im writing on behalf of STUDENT in reference to the CMA scholarship. STUDENT came to
see me at The Learning Centre in regards to a special English project that she needed extra help
with and has been working with me on a weekly basis for the past six weeks. Although she is
very strong in Mathematics, she identified an area in her English studies that she felt she could
use improvement in and sought my assistance on her own behalf. I feel that this in and of itself
speaks to her character because not only do many students not want to address their academic
challenges, it is even rarer that they voluntarily take the initiative to develop and strengthen those
areas on their own.
In the time that Ive known STUDENT, I have always found her to be extremely pleasant to
work with, attentive to detail, disciplined, and conscientious of following through with scheduled
tasks. Every week that we meet, I assign additional work (on top of the academic course load she
is already following and the extra-curricular activities that shes mentioned to me), which she
always completes. Her ability to manage her time well, willingness to go the extra mile, and hard
work to achieve the task shes set for herself are truly amazing. I believe that her desire to
achieve her goals, willingness to work towards them, and self-discipline will make her an
excellent CMA.
Moreover, I find STUDENT to be a bright, thoughtful, and attentive student. When we work
together she is inquisitive, asking questions that show she is working through the information
and processing it for herself. When I present her with difficult concepts, she is able to reason her
way through them and come up with her own interpretations and explanations, which she is then
able to apply to the materials we are working on. She is good at problem solving and applying a
logical approach to the challenges set before her, skills that are certainly beneficial in her chosen
professional field. It is without hesitation that I recommend STUDENT for the CMA scholarship
as I believe that she has all the traits and skills required to succeed.
Should you require more information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

To Whom It May Concern:

It is with certainty and enthusiasm that I recommend STUDENT to be the recipient of this years
Alan Liddiard Memorial Award.
I have known STUDENT since she began volunteering at The Learning Centre in January 2008.
During this time, she has proven herself to be a dedicated volunteer, a hard-working student and
an all-round wonderful person who takes great pride in her school.
STUDENT first began studying at Vanier at the Language School. Recognizing the quality of
education and sense of community Vanier has, she chose to pursue her DEC here as well. A
student in the Health Science Program, she has excelled academically. STUDENT works
diligently to get the absolute most out of her education. Her impressive grades are the result of
high intelligence, determination and ambition. (Indeed, STUDENT has been accepted into the
prestigious and difficult-to-get-into Double Degree Business Administration and Mathematics
Co-operative Program offered jointly by University of Waterloo and Wilfred Laurier University.)
STUDENT, however, does not only come to Vanier for academic purposes; she is active in its
vibrant community. She volunteered in The Learning Centre for two semesters as a TLC
Assistant. Her tasks included working on and distributing publicity materials for the Centre,
assisting in special events, and a myriad of clerical jobs. She quickly adapted to the work
environment and was given a steadily increasing amount of responsibility, to which she
responded with confidence and ability. STUDENT was very professional, reliable and consistent
with her great work; a key player contributing to the overall functioning of our Centre. In
addition to carrying out her responsibilities conscientiously, STUDENT always showed up with
a smile on her face. Her interactions with both Learning Centre staff and students alike
highlighted her friendly disposition.
The great care and interest she put into her work as a TLC Assistant can be seen as an extension
of STUDENT feelings towards Vanier. This was most evident to me in the spring of 2008 when
we offered our TLC Assistants tickets to attend the Oratorio Terezin. Most of our volunteers
declined, explaining that they were too busy with end-of-term studying. STUDENT, however,
was thrilled and thankful to have the chance to attend; her mother was visiting from China and
she was extremely proud to take her to a grand production put on by her school.
At present, STUDENT is a member of the Vanier Key Society, to which she was admitted in
A08. As part of the Key Society, she has continued to devote her time, effort and talents to the
promotion of Vanier. STUDENT worked as a Vanier ambassador at Vaniers annual Open
House, participated in an event welcoming Vaniers new international students and is currently
involved in the Vanier Peace Garden Project, to be located by the Sports Complex. Being one of
the four original student members of this project (it has since expanded) STUDENT has been
active in the development of the Peace Garden since its inception. Working under the
supervision of Student Services Barb Armstrong, STUDENT has been committed to fundraising
for the project, working on the "A Quarter A Day" fundraising cans as well as bake sales (one
which has already passed and another to take place on May 6). Finally, STUDENT has been
involved in designing the Garden, selecting plants for it, and working on a plan for it to be
sustained after she and her Peace Garden team members have graduated.
Reflecting over STUDENT academic success and contributions to the Vanier community, I feel
confident that she is most worthy of the Alan Liddiard Memorial Award. Please contact me
should you have any questions or require further information.
Sincerely,
INSERT: YOUR NAME, SIGNATURE AND CONTACT INFORMATION
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

To whom it may concern,
It is with great pleasure that I recommend STUDENT for the Jackie Robinson Career
Scholarship.
STUDENT is a third semester student from our Business Administration program who was
selected to represent Vanier College in our Education for All study program in Malawi, Africa.
This project is supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) of the
Government of Canada.
In the summer 2009 in Malawi, STUDENT will focus on the need for universal primary
education in sub-Saharan Africa and will visit various primary and secondary schools and offer
support in classroom settings. Moreover, STUDENT will learn about the strengths and
challenges of the Malawian schooling system, as well as the specific importance of gender issues
with respect to education. Upon her return, she will create awareness about the necessity for
universal education as she shares her experience by giving presentations to students from various
high schools and colleges. We invite you to follow the development of this project and
STUDENT experience through her blog that you will find on our website:
(www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/international-education).
We think STUDENT is an important member of our team because her demeanour is professional
and mature. We have witnessed how her devotion and dedication to her program have instilled in
her an excellent and professional work ethic. STUDENT will be a key element to help us create
awareness about the importance of Universal Primary Education.
Please contact us if you need further information.
Best regards,
INSERT: YOUR NAME, SIGNATURE AND CONTACT INFORMATION
............................................................................................................................................................
...............

I would like to highly recommend STUDENT to you for a Millennium Excellence Award.
STUDENT began voluntary humanitarian work in South America at sixteen years of age. Her
most recent trip was to Costa Rica. Prior to leaving, she took it upon herself to purchase school
supplies to bring with her and once there, organized a team to make gift bags for the children.
She worked in disadvantaged communities and helped in the development of small villages.
Volunteering with the team, she promoted the importance of education and languages, by
visiting schools and orphanages and talking with the children about the relevance of these issues
to their lives. She also promoted environmental causes by working with the Costa Rican people
to help clean beaches and parks.
STUDENT has taken initiative, with one of her classmates, to start a shoebox campaign, at
Vanier. The campaigns objective is to fill two-hundred boxes of goods to be distributed to the
needy in the Montreal area. Her responsibilities include writing sponsorship letters to various
companies and organizations in the Montreal and Laval regions; as well as producing
promotional material to enlighten the Vanier community about this campaign. Moreover,
STUDENT is a member of the Vanier Key Society, which consists of high achieving students
with strong interpersonal skills, especially chosen, to represent Vanier College as ambassadors.
Her responsibilities include volunteering at the Vanier Open House in which she confidently
addressed inquiries regarding the college and led guided school tours for groups of potential
recruits
STUDENT has been tutoring ESL in The Learning Centres Peer Tutoring Program at Vanier
College since 2005. This program allows her leadership abilities to shine, exemplifying her
strong ability to motivate her students. She has made a strong and positive impression on me. For
example, her student needed to improve his oral communication skills. This was extremely
important to him because he was required to complete a stage within the English milieu.
STUDENT gave generously of her time, meeting him twice per week for two hours at a time.
She gave him excellent feedback, constantly correcting his pronunciation and making positive
suggestions for improvement. Through STUDENT support, I saw this young mans self-esteem
and self-confidence grow, as well as significantly improving the clarity of his speaking skills.
Thus, being a highly effective role-model, her student looked to STUDENT for guidance and
motivation for learning. As a result, he followed her lead and was successful in improving his
English skills.
STUDENT has learned that being a leader is not just about one person being in charge but rather
working together towards a common goal; not imposing ideas on others but listening to them and
trying to make herself a better person. Her involvement in the Humanitarian trips, worthy
campaigns and tutoring ESL clearly show her leadership ability and strong initiative. I highly
recommend STUDENT to you. I am confident that she is an excellent candidate for a
Millennium Excellence Award.
Sincerely,
INSERT: YOUR NAME, SIGNATURE AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Letter of Recommendation for Janet Lerner

My first contact with Janet Lerner was several years ago when she was deciding whether to
attend
Mythic University or to go to school at a private institution. The prestige of a Braddock
Fellowship
and other considerations convinced her and her parents that our best undergraduates at Mythic
University can compete with anyone in the nation. She has proven herself truly exceptional in
every
way during her undergraduate career here. I was more than delighted to be her honors thesis
advisor
when she expressed an interest to work in my laboratory beginning in the Spring semester of this
year. She also worked as a dishwasher in my lab for two summers. She has kept me well
informed
about her progress since her graduation from Mythic University last year.
Janet is a very bright and creative young woman with very high professional goals. She came
from a
family of exceptional academic achievements. Her brother received a Ph.D. in Economics at
Harvard and her sister is a surgeon at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Medical Center. While at
Mythic University Janet did extremely well in mathematics up to differential equations and has
the
talent to continue on to learn more advanced mathematics. She is also an excellent and efficient
writer. She has represented Mythic University many times in a variety of recruiting functions and
has served extremely well. She has received a well-balanced education in liberal arts and in
sciences, supplemented by many worthwhile extracurricular activities. She shared the senior
prize in
Biological Sciences given annually to the best student(s) of a graduating class every year by the
Mythic University Alumni Association.
Among the group of outstanding undergraduate research students I had in my lab, Janet also
ranks
as the top overall. She is a joy in the lab. She is exceptionally well-organized, extremely quick to
grasp new concepts, and always knows the objectives of a project. As a researcher, Janet Lerner
has
mastered the basic techniques for gene cloning and structure analysis. Her undergraduate
research
led to a co-authorship in a conference book chapter. She was definitely among the most highly
recruited group when she was applying for graduate school. She was accepted by every major
Ph.D.
program to which she applied. She has applied for and was offered a graduate fellowship by
several
major funding agencies. Over the last two years I have clearly sensed the transition in our
conversations from teacher/student to more like those with a colleague. It is just so delightful.
In summary, Janet Lerner is a truly exceptional student among many outstanding graduates from
our
Department during my fourteen years at Mythic University. Janet has been recognized with
many
awards and received many fellowships in the last four years, but most importantly, she remains a
confident, cheerful, and helping person. She is always eager to pursue new knowledge and
challenge. Given that she is a woman entering a field still dominated by men, in my opinion she
is
an especially good candidate for the NSF Women in Engineering program. I recommend her
with
my highest enthusiasm.
Sincerely,
John Teacher
John Teacher
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
To the Fellowship Selection Committee:
I am writing in support of Janet Lerners application for an NSF Fellowship. Janet is genuinely a
gifted student with great potential as a research scientist. I encourage you to give her your most
careful consideration.
Janet has been conducting an independent honors research project in my laboratory for the past
year. Without a doubt, Janet is one of those rare individuals that comes along only once every
few
years; she is highly intelligent (her transcript is blemished by a single B), inquisitive,
motivated,
and creative. Janet has just the right combination of assertiveness and respect to make her a joy
to
work with in the lab. She takes directions very well, but she is not timid about questioning
experimental details or rationale. This is a student that I will enjoy watching develop into a
highly
productive research scientist.
For her honors thesis I have given Janet a demanding project that I would normally reserve for
my
graduate students. Even before entering my lab, she had read a large number of articles that
described recent advances with the virus that we study in the labJC virus (JCV). Expecting
that I
would need to explain many of the techniques used in these studies and to discuss the rationale
behind the experiments, I was surprised to discover that she already had a firm grasp of these
concepts and was ready to discuss the science on a much higher level. Together we decided that
her
project would entail a mutational analysis of a specific functional domain of the major regulatory
protein of JCV, the multifunctional T protein.
To emphasize the scope and importance of Janets work, a summary of the relevant science
follows.
JCV is an important opportunistic pathogen; it has infected >70% of the worlds population and
it
remains latent in the kidneys and brains of most of us. In severely immunocompromised
individuals,
JCV may cause the fatal demyelinating brain disease progressive multifocal
leukoencephalopathy
(PML); PML is now the cause of death in up to 7% of AIDS patients. An important question
related
to the pathogenesis of PML revolves around the mechanisms of latency and reactivation of JCV
in
the body. Many of our earlier studies have pointed to the T protein as a major player in these
phenomena. We now believe that this protein contributes to the restricted host specificity and
inefficient DNA replicating activity of the virus.
Based upon work with the related monkey virus SV40, we have lately begun to focus our
attention
on a zinc finger domain of the JCV T protein. This domain is thought to play a role in forming a
double hexameric structure of T that facilitates appropriate interaction with viral DNA sequences
at
the replication origin. We believe that differences in the consensus sequence of the JCV T
protein
zinc finger affects its ability to efficiently replicate the viral genome and to establish latency.
To investigate this possibility, Janet is using a modified Kunkel method of site-specific
mutagenesis
to convert the JCV T protein to an SV40-like protein within the finger region. Once constructed,
these mutants will be tested in cell culture for viability, promotion of DNA replication, and
oligomerization. Janet has made excellent progress on her project. She has subcloned the
appropriate
fragment of JCV DNA into a phagemid, verified its structure, and successfully completed the
mutagenesis reactions using control reagents.
During the latter set of experiments, a number of difficulties were encountered. Janet
demonstrated
impressive resourcefulness in overcoming these problems. She did not simply run to me for
answers,
but instead called a technical representative at the company from which the reagents for the
mutagenesis reactions were obtained. She also went to a graduate student in the lab for further
information. By the time she came to me to explain the problems, she was also ready to proffer
solutions. Furthermore, Janet suggested additional controls to ensure that her ideas were viable.
Although I offered some alternative approaches, Janet was able to convince me that her approach
was better. She now has the mutagenesis procedure working smoothly, and she has attempted to
produce her first mutants. This attempt yielded several potential mutants, but unfortunately
sequence
analysis (she got the dideoxy method to work beautifully the first time) indicated that they
represented wild type clones. Undaunted, she has gone back to the bench, modified the annealing
conditions for the mutagenic primer and template and is trying again. Her perseverance and
mature
attitude in the face of a scientific set-back are unusual for such a young researcher. I have no
doubt
that Janet will have a considerable influence upon our research program and that her efforts will
result in the first authorship on an important manuscript.
It should be apparent that I think very highly of Janet Lerners academic and research skills. I am
not alone in this evaluation. She has fit in very well with my research group (10 people including
research assistant, postdoc, and graduate and undergraduate students). The other undergraduates
look up to her as a leader, and the graduate students and postdoc interact with her as an equal.
In closing, I dont believe that you could find a more qualified candidate for an NSF Fellowship
than Janet Lerner. She has my strongest recommendation.
Sincerely,
John Teacher
John Teacher
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^

I am delighted to acquaint you with one of my outstanding students Ms. M. Siri of high caliber,
whom I know since 2004, who is keen to pursue her graduation, Doctor of Philosophy in
Pharmaceutical Sciences at your esteemed university. She was my Postgraduate student during
her M. Pharmacy in the Department of Pharmaceutics, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health
Sciences, when I was working as Head of the Department in XXX College of Pharmacy. She
was under my close supervision for the period of two years from Sep'04 to Sep'06. I taught her
Preformulation and Production management in the first year of this course, and she also worked
directly under my supervision during her research work of "Development and Evaluation of
Aceclofenac Controlled Release Matrix Tablets". This interaction with her provided me
sufficient information to gauge and asses the intellectual capability, technical and research skills
that she had developed during this period.

First of all, considering the all-round performance of Ms. M. Siri both in academics and
extracurricular activities I am convinced to rank her in the top 2% of the students in her batch.
Second, I found Ms. M. Siri to be ambitious and hard working. Commitment towards her course
and regular hard work secured her grades in her course. This I can explain with an instance
which I could not forget over these years. For her research work, she needed Acelclofenac, a new
and not easily available drug, which could not be found in the college sufficiently for research at
that time. She wrote to many Pharmaceutical companies, which were working on that drug, in
different states in India (most of them had not get back, even though she never gave up) and had
also traveled to directly meet some managers, explained them about her research proposal, and
finally made some of them to sponsor not only the main drug but also some excipients needed
for her work. I was really impressed by her determination and positive attitude. Her sharp
intellect along with her keen sense of reasoning enables her to handle the most abstract concepts
with ease. This supplicated by her practical approach towards the theoretical concepts makes a
bright prospect for research work. I would like to mention here, that Ms. M. Siri is accurate and
thorough in her research, pays attention to details and has no dread of routine work. She
possesses a very good insight into problems on hand and displays superior logical and analytical
skills. Among all of her batch, she is the only one who received appraisal from the External Viva
Organizer, for her error free research thesis.

Third, Ms. M. Siri is a wonderful member of a research community. She was always ready to
help others in her batch (though she did not use this to avoid doing her own work as I have seen
some do!). And she did more than help she showed the makings of a great teacher and
supervisor. Indeed, I had seen her instruct college students, graduate students, and other faculty
members. She was patient yet demanding. She also was often the person who ordered material
that was about to run out, making sure that common areas were kept clean, and other sorts of
things that all too often are not done and cause friction within a research group. She had also
actively participated and presented seminars and different journals in the Department of
Pharmaceutics at the satisfaction of the students and staffs of the department. She also has habit
by going through different types of Pharmaceutical journals to update her knowledge. She has
attended various Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association programs held in different parts of
India, which suggests her keen interest in the latest advancements in the field.

Finally, I should add that Ms. M. Siri is extremely personable. She got along with everyone,
from the most junior lab aid to the department chair. Always a smile and a good word, never the
sort of doom and gloom that one all too often encounters in a student struggling to finish their
thesis and move on.

As Department Head, I understand and respect her genuine interests and strong commitment to
further study and research in your esteemed institution. Considering her performance in her
research project, proficiency in English language, flair of creativity, unflagging enthusiasm for
learning and sharing which were high lightened during her seminars makes her right choice for
the PhD program in your esteemed institution where she can develop and apply her bright
talents. Thus, I strongly recommend my student Ms. M. Siri for the PhD program in your
esteemed university along with the possible financial aid you could provide her, and would like
to recommend her to qualify as a teaching/research assistant in your university. I am confident
that Ms. Siri will add diversity and uniqueness to your academic community. I will be pleased to
answer any additional questions you may have.

I wish her all the best in her future prospects.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

It is my pleasure to recommend XXX for admission to the Art History programme at the XXX. I
have known XXX for the past two years, both as a professor and an assigned supervisor of her
graduation project and this gave me the chance to gain insight into the students abilities and
personality.

Since the beginning of our collaboration XXX has showed herself as an intelligent and
hardworking student, who takes a passionate interest in the chosen area. During my lectures
XXX has always been attentive and concentrated, perceiving study material profoundly and
displaying a remarkable grasp of the content. She has consistently taken an active part in
classroom discussions and seminars, bringing in a lot with thoughtful comments and interesting
presentations. In completing tasks and assignments XXX has always demonstrated great
initiative and a very positive attitude, as well as good team working skills.

Working on a graduation project under my supervision, XXX has shown excellent analytical
skills and intellectual creativity. She has taken a deep look into novel and complex problems of
the newly established relationship between art heritage and modern technologies as a means of
its virtual presentation. By using a broad interdisciplinary approach and involving plenty of
resources, she accomplished an exceptionally well researched and interesting project, which was
made part of the universitys best graduation works catalogue.

XXX seems to be highly enthusiastic about everything that relates to art and art history. She is
maintaining continual self-learning and growth through extensive reading and attending all
exhibitions and art events available in the city. This has helped her to gain deep understanding
and broad erudition in the subject. XXX s perpetual seeking after new knowledge and
experience must have determined her decision of taking academic programme abroad.

I would rate the student's overall performance as far above average, which is evidenced by her
marks. She has superior grades in all of the attended courses and graduated with honours in the
top 10% of the faculty students.

At a personal level, XXX is a well disciplined, responsible student with a pleasant personality.
She has always been very friendly and respectful, showing a great capacity for integration into
university life. She has actively participated in cultural activities, provided by our university,
being involved into students performances and designing the stage. XXX is a broad-minded,
internationally oriented student, who has some abroad experience and is well prepared to new
challenges.

For all these reasons, I would highly recommend XXX. She is an exceptional candidate, who
would contribute greatly to any programme. Furthermore, I believe that studying at your
university will provide her with valuable experience and will help her deepen understanding of
the subject she is sincerely interested in.

If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours Sincerely,
NNN

To: Graduate Admissions Committee

It is my pleasure to write on behalf of Jane Student, who is applying to the PhD program in
Research Psychology at Major University. I have interacted with Jane in several contexts: as
student, as teaching assistant, and as thesis mentee.

I first met Jane in 2008, when she enrolled in my introductory Psychology class. Jane
immediately stood out from the crowd, even as a first semester freshman. Just a few months out
of high school, Jane demonstrated characteristics commonly held by the best college students.
She was attentive in class, prepared, submitted well-written and thoughtful assignments, and
participated in meaningful ways, such as by debating other students. Throughout, Jane modeled
critical thinking skills. Needless to say, Jane earned one of five As awarded in that class of 75
students. Since her first semester in college Jane has enrolled in six of my classes. She
demonstrated similar competencies, and her skills grew with each semester. Most striking is her
ability to tackle challenging material with enthusiasm and endurance. I teach a required course in
Statistics that, as rumor has it, most students dread. Students fears of statistics is legendary
across institutions, but Jane wasnt fazed. As usual she was prepared for class, completed all
assignments, and attended help sessions conducted by my teaching assistant. My teaching
assistant reported that Jane seemed to learn concepts quickly, learning how to solve problems
well before the other students. When placed in group work sessions, Jane easily adopted a
leadership role, helping her peers learn how to solve problems on their own. It was these
competencies that led me to offer Jane a position as teaching assistant for my statistics class.

As teaching assistant, Jane strengthened many of the skills I have articulated. In this position
Jane held review sessions and offered out-of-class assistance to students. She also lectured in
class several times during the semester. Her first lecture was a bit shaky. She clearly knew the
concepts but had difficulty keeping pace with PowerPoint slides. When she abandoned the slides
and worked off the blackboard, she improved. She was able to answer students questions and the
two that she couldnt answered she admitted to and said shed get back to them. As a first
lecture, she was very good. Most important to a career in academics, is that she improved in
subsequent lectures. Leadership, humility, the ability to see areas in need of improvement, and
the willingness to do the work needed to improve these are all characteristics we value in
academia.

Most important to a career in academics is research competence. As I have explained, Jane has
an excellent grasp of statistics and other skills critical to a successful career in research, such as
tenacity and excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills. As mentor of her senior thesis,
I witnessed Jane in her first independent research efforts. Similar to other students, Jane
struggled with finding an appropriate topic. Unlike other students, she conducted mini literature
reviews on potential topics and discussed her ideas with a sophistication that is unusual for
undergraduates. After methodical study, she chose a topic that fits her academic goals. Janes
project examined [X]. Her project earned a department award, university award, and was
presented as a paper at a regional psychology association.

In closing, I believe that Jane student has the capacity to excel at X and in a career as a research
psychologist. She is one of a small handful of student that I have encountered I my 16 years
teaching undergraduates that has this ability. Please do not hesitate to contact me with further
questions.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

LETTER OF RECOMENDATION

Applicant: Ivan Ivanov

Recommender: Prof. Petr P. Petrov
I have known Ivan Ivanov since February 2000. Being a second-year student, he attended my
lectures on XX, and the next academic year - on YY. While attending my lectures, he showed
himself as an active and hard-working student. We frequently discussed various physics
problems beyond the scope of my course, and I was surprised by his remarkable analytical
abilities and originality of his ideas.

After completing my courses Ivan continued to keep in touch with me.

In 2001 he joined Landau Institute Theory group. In order to be admitted to this group, Ivan
successfully passed a highly competitive and difficult Landau Theoretical Minimum exam on
Quantum Mechanics. This fact characterizes Ivan as a purposeful person with a great ability for
independent work. He has also successfully passed non-obligatory Landau Theoretical Minimum
exams on General Relativity, Statistical Mechanics and Electrodynamics of Continuous Media.

By now, Ivan's background in theoretical physics is strikingly deep and wide. In his bachelor
thesis, which was in the field of quantum Hall effect, he used sophisticated techniques of modern
Quantum Field Theory as well as Condensed Matter theory. Ivans profound knowledge of
Quantum Field Theory is also proved by the fact that he has translated into Russian several
chapters of XX's book "Quantum ...". His translation will be published in a few months by
Nauka, the most respectable Russian scientific publishing company.

I regard Ivan's academic and research abilities as excellent. I'm sure that he is one of the top 2%
of MIPT students. I strongly recommend him for graduate study at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology.

As a member of the Board of the Russian school Physics Olympiad I have known Ivan Ivanov
since XX, when he was in high school. His prominent knowledge of Physics revealed even then.
He became a winner of the Russian school physics olympiad three times in a raw that allowed
him to become one of the 16 candidates to, and later one of the members of the Russian team on
the Xth IPhO in Country X, where he was awarded Gold Medal and a Special Prize for the best
solution of a theoretical problem.

Among other winners of the Russian Olympiad Ivan took part in winter (two weeks) and summer
(a month) sessions of candidates to the team in XX. The sessions included advanced lectures on
physics. Seminars devoted to theoretical problems and intensive laboratory courses were
alternated with frequent rounds of problem solving contests designed to reduce the number of
candidates from 16 to 5. Even though initially he had been placed 14th in our unofficial rating,
his perseverance, purposefulness and diligence enabled him to enter the final membership of
Russian team. During the time of sessions Ivan showed ability of quick perception of new ideas
and using them in future, high intelligence and capacity for work.

When Ivan entered MIPT, he continued working hard. During his studies Ivan has been the best
among all MIPT students of his age. Being in his second year, he became the absolute winner of
Physics and Mathematics Olympiads among all undergraduates of MIPT. He was awarded
Landau Institute fellowship, ITEP fellowship (awarded to 2 students among 80) and Lenin grant,
which is awarded to one student out of 500. I believe that with his persistence and capacity Ivan
will maintain the way he started.

There is an established tradition that students who have won the IPhO in previous years work as
instructors in the sessions of the succeeding IPhO teams. Ivan Ivanov is one of such students.
Being the leader of the training team I highly appreciate Ivan's activity. Students invent problems
to solve, give seminars, laboratory classes and examine schoolboys' knowledge of physics. Ivan
demonstrated brilliant mental abilities and theoretical skills, so we decided to try him as a
member of the Board of Russian PhO in XX. I was impressed by his performance, so Ivan was
invited to the Board permanently. He is one of a few students who is a permanent Jury member
of such a high-level olympiad. I have no doubts that this activity gave him an excellent teaching
practice. I would also like to notice that Ivan has perfect collaboration skills. It was a great
pleasure for me to work with him.

Working at MIPT for many years I can compare Ivan's abilities with those of other MIPT
students. For the last 10 years I have known only several students like Ivan quite well. For
example, XX and XX (both are graduate students at Harvard now), XX and XX (they are
graduate students at MIT), XX (now he is a graduate student at Cornell), XX and XX ( they are
graduate students at Princeton), XX (he is a graduate student at University of California at
Berkeley).

In sum, I am confident that Ivan is the best among approximately 500 MIPT students of his year.
He has outstanding potential and motivation to succeed in a career as a physicist. He is diligent,
bright-minded and trust-worthy in every way. I'm deeply convinced that students displaying such
talents as Ivans, are able to study at graduate level successfully. Thus I enthusiastically
recommend Ivan Ivanov for further education at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Sincerely yours,
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

LETTER OF EVALUATION
for Ivan Ivanov

I have known Ivan Ivanov for approximately four years. During first two years he was attending
my lectures and seminars in XX, XX and XX. Ivan is very active and sociable. We used to
discuss different mathematical problems several times a week. During our discussions Ivan
displayed great ingenuity and profound knowledge of mathematics far above the scope of MIPT
program.

Ivan is one of the best students of his year. Two times he won highly competitive Mathematics
Olympiad among MIPT students and Math Problems Solving Contest. He has always been a
hard-working student. He attended many advanced lectures on modern mathematics at MIPT as
well as at the Independent University of Moscow, a very strong Russian mathematical
institution.
Ivan has excellent research abilities. He is extremely strong in solving non-standard problems in
various areas. During his undergraduate studies he himself explored a scientific problem
connected with XX problem. His solution of the problem was very elegant and I wasn't surprised
when his article was accepted for publication in Mathematical Notes.

I consider Ivan as one of the top 2% MIPT students. He proved himself to be an organized and
responsible person. Besides, Ivan is a very pleasant person to communicate with. I believe these
qualities along with brilliant intellectual capacity guarantee Ivan's success in his future work. I
highly recommend Ivan Ivanov and strongly support his application to Massachusetts Institute of
Technology.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation in support of Petr Petrovs application to
Princeton University.

I have known Ivan for almost two years. He attended my lectures on XX on his 2-d year at
MIPT, and lectures on XX on his 3-rd year. Many times we had discussions that lay beyond the
scope of my lectures and Ivan showed profound understanding of the material and proficiency in
these areas. I personally examined him and gave him excellent marks on both courses.

Ivan has remarkable ability to grasp quickly the essence of new ideas and complicated concepts,
such as those of Special Relativity and formalism of Quantum Mechanics, which distinguishes
him from many others MIPT students. I should also mention his strong background in
mathematics, which is very important for future theorist.

Upon finishing his 3-rd year at MIPT Ivan joined theory group at Landau Institute for
Theoretical Physics.

Enrollment to this group is highly competitive and based on the results of special examination on
Quantum Mechanics, called Landau Theoretical Minimum. The exam requires the knowledge of
large amount of material which is not included into the curriculum and had to be mastered by a
student independently. The fact that Ivan passed Theoretical Minimum successfully characterizes
him as a very ambitious person with great potential for future specialization in any field of
theoretical physics.

I consider Ivan as one of the top 2% of all MIPT students. His ability for independent learning,
quick mastering of sophisticated material and mathematical skills make him an excellent
candidate for Graduate program in Physics at Princeton University. I strongly recommend him
for admission.

Dear Colleagues,

I am very pleased to write on behalf of Ivan I. Ivanov who asked me to recommend him for
admission to Florida State University.

Ivan has been working under my supervision over the last year and was the student attending my
lectures on course XX in Fall, XX. He is currently a X year student of the Mendeleev University
of Chemical Technology. The University is one of the best, largest and oldest academic
institutions for Chemistry in Russia. Since January XX, Ivan is undertaking a graduation paper
under my guidance. His work in the Laboratory of XX covers that part of Physical Chemistry
which is basically related to Surface Chemistry.

In our research he deals with such important direction in Chemistry as the research of XX.
During this work he gained valuable experience working with equipment of electron microscopy
and X-ray analysis. I should emphasize here that he is very accurate and diligent in his
experimental work as well as in treating the results. Ivan evolved as a dependable, intelligent,
erudite, emotionally stable person who is able to generate new ideas, to find untraditional
solutions, and I can add that it would not be an exaggeration, if I describe him quite assertive and
sophisticated. I have no doubt that Ivan would be a good instructor thanks to his accuracy and
clearance in oral expression. Also, he has a good attitude and capable of working in a group as
well as acting independently. I can say that he is the best student among the ones I had
supervised for the last years.

In addition, Ivan has very good knowledge of the English language because for the most part he
uses English-written materials (e-libraries, data bases, articles from foreign magazines, etc.) as
theoretical support for our investigations.

Seeing his serious yearning for further education, persistence and striving for purpose, I think
that he will realize his huge potential and inevitably obtain excellent results in his future
scientific career. I also believe that it will be very beneficial for both Florida State University and
Ivan to continue his education in your graduate program. Thus I strongly recommend him for
admission.

Sincerely,

RECOMMENDATION LETTER

To whom it may concern:

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to recommend a 6-th year student of the Mendeleev University of Chemical

Technology, Ivan I. Ivanov who is applying for admission to the graduate program in Chemistry
at Florida State University. Ivan has been working in my laboratory since 2000. As a Chairman
of the Division of XX, at which he has been studying specialized courses, I have known him
 from the beginning of his study in our Division from 1998. During his study he showed good
academic results and did not have any troubles with studies. I should emphasize that it is not a
simple task to maintain the high level of records at one of the best and esteemed academic
institutions for Chemistry in Russia - Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology requires
strong intellectual abilities and assiduity. Ivan is a student who attended my Lectures on courses
XX and XX. On the final exams of these classes, he proved high theoretical background of
crystal structures and processes and methods of crystal growth.

As a student who has worked in my research group, Artem has gained significant experience in
single-crystal growth. Part of experimental work he undertook was at one of the laboratories of
the XX Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He dealt with such contemporary
materials as laser single crystals. Under my supervision, he has done the research term paper
entitled XX which is valuable for our University. I think that such strong characteristics as his
high intellectual potential, perseverance and his excellent ability to work independently is the
serious motivation to be successful as a graduate student. Im sure that his potential as a teacher
is also very high.

I must mention Ivans proficiency in English. Almost all materials I gave him to study (articles
from different scientific journals, proceedings of conferences etc.) were written in English. He
has no difficulties with understanding such papers.

In addition, on the final interdisciplinary state exam which is carried out in our University in the
last semester (prior degree work) covering all specialized courses, he proved high scientific
attainments in various areas of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry. In my opinion, Ivan is one of
the best students in his class.

As a recommender, I consider the applicant as a gifted and promising student. Ivan Ivanov is
comparable with my best students of previous years. I highly recommend him for a program
leading to the PhD degree. I am sure that he will successfully accomplish a program of graduate
study. I do believe that both Florida State University and Ivan would most certainly benefit from
him studying at your graduate school.

Sincerely,