Daniel Nixon worked in Dr. Robert Vaughan's lab as a research associate. Dr. Vaughan selected Daniel from a large applicant pool due to his strong work history and interest in science shown during the interview. Though Daniel had no practical experience, he quickly learned the necessary skills and took on a graduate-level project. Daniel worked hard, often staying late or on weekends, and exceeded expectations by making findings that show promise for publication. Dr. Vaughan was impressed with Daniel's motivation to learn and believes he will continue to succeed in future jobs.

1. Simon Hall MSB Room 100b 212 S. Hawthorne Drive, Bloomington, IN 47405
June 13, 2016
To Whom It May Concern:
I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Daniel Nixon. I had the
pleasure of working with Daniel during the first semester of his junior year at Indiana
University, and have worked closely with him until he graduated this past May. The
purpose of this letter is to inform you of the special qualities Daniel possesses as a
research associate in my lab.
I selected Daniel from a large pool of applicants to assist in my lab for a number
of reasons. Noteworthy was both his work history and the conversations we had during
his interview, as they indicated to me that he was hard working student with a genuine
interest in science. While he had no practical experience with cloning, antibiotic
resistance, or enzyme kinetics, his basal understanding of the science and technologies
used were far superior than what I consider to be typical of students his age.
Fortunately my initial assessment quickly proved to be accurate as he was able to
absorb the basics quickly and take on a graduate-level project in a very short amount of
time. Daniel quickly picked up the science, and communicated results quickly and
effectively. I frequently found him in lab during weekends and after hours, which is likely
the reason he was able to get so much done. This work has exceeded my
expectations, and his findings show promise for publication. He has a genuine interest
in furthering his knowledge, skills, and abilities as a scientist and I could not have been
happier with what he was able to accomplish.
I am confident that Daniel will continue to put just as much motivation into any job
that he will take on in the future. I am sad to see him go, and hope to have more
students like Daniel assist me in my future projects. If you have any questions about his
project or the information herein, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Robert C. Vaughan, Ph.D.
Lecturer, Director of Graduate Studies
Biotechnology Professional Science Master’s Program
Indiana University-Bloomington
E-mail: robvaugh@indiana.edu Tel: 812-855-5170
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
M O L E C U L A R A ND C E L LU L A R
B I O C H E M I ST RY D E PA RT M E N T
College of Arts and Sciences
Bloomington