Plana is generally considered one of the major Italian scientists of his age because, at a time when the quality of instruction at Italian universities had greatly deteriorated, his teaching was of the highest quality, quite comparable with that of the grandes écoles of Paris, at which he had studied.
Plana ay karaniwang itinuturing na isa sa mga pangunahing Italian siyentipiko ng kanyang edad dahil, sa isang panahon kapag ang kalidad ng pagtuturo at Italian unibersidad had malaki deteryorado, ng kanyang pagtuturo ay ang pinakamataas na kalidad, lubos na may maitutulad na ng Grandes écoles ng Paris, at kung saan siya ay may-aral.