The Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award and Class of 2022 Philadelphia Campus Teaching Award

This year’s Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award and Class of 2022 Philadelphia Campus Teaching Award were both presented to Vincent Thawley. The Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award is the most prestigious teaching award in veterinary medicine. Zoetis, the largest global animal health company, presents it annually to a faculty member at each college of veterinary medicine in the United States. Its purpose is “to improve veterinary medicine education by recognizing outstanding instructors who, through their ability, dedication, character and leadership, contribute significantly to the advancement of the profession.” The entire Penn Vet student body votes on the recipient. 

Vince Thawley graduated summa cum laude from Penn Vet in 2009. Following his graduation, he completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery and a three-year residency in small animal emergency and critical care medicine at Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital. Dr. Thawley was certified as a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2013. After completing his residency, he remained in the Ryan Hospital’s Emergency Service and is currently a clinical assistant professor of emergency and critical care medicine. Dr. Thawley’s clinical interests include the diagnosis and management of high acuity and emergent patients, including the recognition and treatment of circulatory shock and sepsis; traumatic brain injury; toxicologic emergencies; and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 

The William B. Boucher Award

The Boucher Award honors a house officer at New Bolton Center for excellent teaching, as William Boucher  exemplified over his four decades at Penn Vet.

This year’s winner is Ashley Cameron. Dr. Cameron graduated from Colorado State University in 2016.

She completed an internship at Equine Medical Center of Ocala, followed by a large animal clinical fellowship at Oregon State University. Dr. Cameron is currently a surgery resident at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center. 

Class of 2021 New Bolton Center Teaching Award

Yekaterina (Kate) Buriko graduated from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine and subsequently completed a rotating internship and residency in Emergency and Critical Care at Penn Vet.

She then practiced at the Animal Medical Center in New York City before returning to Penn Vet in 2017, where she is currently an assistant professor of clinical intensive care medicine.

Dr. Buriko’s research and clinical interests are in the areas of hemostasis, coagulation, and viscoelastic testing.

Class of 2021 Philadelphia Campus Teaching Award

Nikki Scherrer currently serves as an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center. She received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and graduated summa cum laude from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.

She earned her veterinary degree from the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.

After graduating, Dr. Sherrer interned at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. Afterward, she started a second rotating internship at New Bolton Center and a subsequent ophthalmology residency.

Class of 2022 New Bolton Center Teaching Award

Klaus Hopster graduated in 2006 from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover in Germany.

After an internship at the Equine Hospital at Hannover, he finished his residency in anesthesia and analgesia in 2011.

He then served for five years on the faculty of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover before coming to Penn Vet in 2016.

He is currently an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center.

Class of 2023 Lecture Teaching Award

Rose Nolen-Walston was a professional dressage rider and riding teacher before she graduated with a DVM from the University of Georgia in 2001. After graduating, she completed an internship and residency in large animal internal medicine at Tufts University.

Dr. Nolen-Walston spent a year there doing research in adult stem cell biology in mice, then joined the faculty at Penn Vet, where she teaches and practices internal medicine at New Bolton Center.

She received the Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award in 2017 (Almanac May 23, 2017) and the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award in 2014 (Almanac April 15, 2014).

Class of 2023 Laboratory Teaching Award

Matthew Lanza received a BA in biological basis of behavior (since renamed neuroscience) from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011. After college, he spent two years in neuroradiology research working with children with autism and schizophrenia at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia before returning to Penn for veterinary school. After receiving his VMD in 2017, he began his residency in anatomic pathology at Penn Vet and has stayed on as a fellow in comparative pathology. His areas of academic interest include neoplasia, neuroscience, and comparative pathology. Outside of teaching, Dr. Lanza is an advisor to several undergraduate community service groups at Penn and Drexel and is an adjunct professor in biology at the University of the Sciences. 

Class of 2024 Lecture and Laboratory Teaching Awards

Elizabeth Woodward joined the department of biomedical sciences in 2016 as a clinical assistant professor. Prior to her faculty appointment, she held postdoctoral research appointments in the Reference Andrology Laboratory at New Bolton Center and at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center, where she also earned her doctorate studying equine reproductive physiology. As faculty, she is a course organizer for physiology, teaches anatomy, serves on several College committees, and is a faculty adviser for the Penn Vet Wine Club. Her research interests are in the field of reproductive physiology, specifically in the areas of sperm physiology and equine endometritis.