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Dr Geoffrey Sperber shares a lifetime of learning
It鈥檚 been 60 years since Dr Geoffrey Sperber lectured in the Department of Anatomy at Wits. But over the decades, dentistry and anatomy students worldwide have benefited from his expertise through his publications and visiting lectureships.
Now a Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta, Canada, he has been honoured for his to his discipline. That university has established a GH Sperber Annual Lectureship to be delivered on the theme of 鈥淐raniofacial Development鈥, and has named its campus after him as part of its celebrations.
鈥淭he school is pleased to acknowledge individuals like Dr Sperber. His passion for the museum and our centennial were the drivers for what you see here today,鈥 said Paul Major, chair of the School of Dentistry. 鈥淥ver the years, Dr Sperber and his wife, Robyn, have donated graciously to our school to support our research and innovation activities.鈥
The third edition of Dr Sperber鈥檚 textbook Craniofacial Embryogenetics and Development is currently in the press.
One of his recent publications was 鈥淭eeth as Pearls of Wisdom鈥, in the , a fascinating look at the kinds of information that teeth can reveal about people鈥檚 life histories and about evolution. Fittingly, the museum he has done so much to nurture is a similar treasure.
Dr Sperber graduated from Wits in 1954 with a BSc, followed by the degrees BDS 1956, BSc Hons 1958 and PhD 1963.