Katya Ravid, DSc/PhD

Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry

Director, EVANS CENTER For Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research
http://www.bumc.bu.edu/evanscenteribr/
Investigator, Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute

July 1, 2015

Re: Nomination of Dr. Vassilis Zannis for the Department of Medicine Robert Dawson Evans
Faculty Special Recognition Teaching Award

Dear Committee members:

It is my great pleasure to write a very strong letter of support for the selection of Dr. Vassilis Zannis as
recipient of the Robert Dawson Evans Faculty Special Recognition Teaching Award. I have followed
Dr. Zannis’s innovative work with students for nearly two decades, and have had the opportunity to
witness his creative teaching style and remarkable devotion to trainees in and out of class.

In addition to his teaching tens of students and post-doctoral fellows the art of science in his own lab,
Dr. Zannis is the initiator and developer of the graduate course titled, Mechanisms of Cardiovascular
Disease (BI778), which he has directed and instructed in the past fifteen years. Dr. Zannis developed
a uniquely interactive course, where students have the opportunity to learn new updated material, but
also to use that knowledge to analyze research challenges, as well envision new investigative
inquiries. Further, the interactive element is enhanced by inclusion of a panel of outside invited faculty,
leaders in different sub fields within Cardiovascular Biology, thus also providing students
opportunities for networking and witnessing different approaches to science. Students have
repeatedly evaluated this course as excellent/outstanding. I know it, as all the students affiliated with
the T32 Cardiovascular Training grant are obligated to take this course. In fact, both the pre- and
post-doc T32 training programs in Cardiovascular Research have been renewed with the assumption
that this course will continue with its high level of excellence, as also reflected in students’ evaluations.

In addition to teaching the above course, Dr. Zannis also participated in past years in teaching
Biochemistry with significant devotion and students’ recognition. As mentioned above, his own many
trainees benefited from his teaching, as also reflected in their successful integration into notable
research positions. Dr. Zannis’s high standards in teaching were also obvious as a member of PhD
thesis committees, including of my own students. He is always ready to listen, help and devote much
time to their learning process, regardless of their lab’s affiliation. Finally, Dr. Zannis has enriched
learning experiences in different laboratories on campus by co-directing an international program that
has allowed inclusion of students from the Universities of Athens or Crete to spend summer research
rotations within different laboratories at BU. This program has been smoothly running for over a
decade now. Dr. Zannis has overseen these collaborations among trainees, thus providing valuable
learning opportunities to all sides.
Dr. Zannis’s patience with students at different levels of intellect and knowledge is remarkable. He
approaches trainees with much respect and is able to maximize their potential by striking the right
balance between demanding hard work, but in gentle and supportive ways. Students gravitate to his
mentoring and teaching because of his vast knowledge, devotion and patience.

As Dr. Zannis prepares for his retirement (hopefully partial) this year, I feel it is most appropriate to
show the department’s appreciation to many decades of devoted teaching at high standard, and with
continuous introduction of innovative material and ways of delivering it. Regardless of this conjunction,
Dr. Zannis, we feel, is most deserving of the Robert Dawson Evans Faculty Special Recognition
Teaching Award.

We hope the committee concurs with our recommendation.

Sincerely yours,

Katya Ravid
Joined by the following trainees who took Dr. Zannis’ courses and or witnessed his teaching in his
own lab (representatives among other supporters):

Dr. Milka Koupenova-Zamor: milka@bu.edu (PhD student and now Post Doc)
Anna Eisenstein : aeisenst@bu.edu (MD, PhD student)
Dr. Hector Lucero: hlucero@bu.edu (Research Associate)
Dr. Kenneth Walsh: kxwalsh@bu.edu (CVI, Director)