Academic Life As Seen By Others
by Charles Lekic

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We all have a favourite teacher we remember fondly. That special teacher who brought their subject matter to life. The teacher who made sure we ‘got it’. The one who went out of their way to support their students and encourage their learning. The one we knew really cared. This is an anthology of warm and often humorous memories from forty-four students, staff and fellow faculty spanning two decades about a beloved professor of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Manitoba. The intent of this collection of personal anecdotes and tributes is to share with others the possibilities of pursuing an academic career. It’s also about celebrating learning itself. As one former student wrote, “Dr. Lekic really opened my eyes to the fact that it can be good fun and very rewarding to win a child’s trust.” Beautifully illustrated, Academic Life as Seen by Others offers a rare glimpse into the world of academia from a decidedly non-academic and lighthearted viewpoint.

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Dr. Charles Lekic, DDM (Hons), MSc, PhD, FRCD(C) originally hailed from the former Yugoslavia. Following a number of years in various research and teaching positions, he finally arrived at the University of Manitoba in 1996. His tenure at the university’s Faculty of Dentistry spanned twenty years, during which time he received ten major national and international teaching awards including teacher of the year from the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry. Along the way, he spearheaded the formation of the Pediatric Dentistry Graduate Program at U of M (and didn’t mind to stand in for Santa Claus over the holiday season). Dr. Lekic, together with three graduates from U of M, started the Children’s Dental World, a dental clinic designed for kids and attended by Dr. Lekic. Now semi-retired, Dr. Lekic is busier than ever. This is his first non-academic publication, and joins a major body of peer-reviewed academic literature.

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Charles Lekic