Vladana Likar-Smiljanić is a Serbian engineer, educator and book illustrator. In the former Yugoslavia, Likar-Smiljanić illustrated children’s books that were sold in hundreds thousands of copies. Her books were sold also in Spain, Italy, the United States, Germany, Soviet Union. Initially, she became well known for her page “Cica’s Corner” in a popular Yugoslav magazine for entertainment Politikin Zabavnik. Her first illustrations appeared in The Treasury of Children's Poems by Jova Jovanović Zmaj. After her successful debut, Likar-Smiljanić illustrated more than twenty books that were almost as popular as her first book. She was collecting counting songs for the hide and seek game of many nations, and illustrated those in one of her favorites “Counting Songs”. Vladana both wrote and illustrated her last book “Princess Milly” that was devoted to her younger daughter Milče. Milče was a frightened little girl, and the stories of this book were weaved to encourage her to handle whatever situations she would encounter. Likar-Smiljanić's main profession was teaching and researching at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Electrical Engineering. For her research, she was examining the properties of various materials, in particular their complex permeability and permittivity at high frequencies. She published quite a few papers in the prestigious international journals. Vladana is a coauthor of two textbooks in the area of microwave communications. Likar-Smiljanić's political work during Milošević governance in Serbia is another aspect of her contribution to the society. It was noted by Human Rights Watch, and Helsinki Committee for Human Rights. She became a director of the computing center at the School of Electrical Engineering of Belgrade University in 2001, that was quite devastated at the time by the anti-university politics during the previous decade. She helped the computing center reach the world standard. Modern times of narrow professional specializations did not influence Vladana, she is persistent following the Da Vincipolymathic way.
Biography
Born in Belgrade, her father Dušan, a medical doctor, was talented in arts, and helped Vladana’s love for arts to develop. She became proficient in drawing, painting and sculpture. She decided to enroll electrical engineering at Belgrade University but never quit drawing. First, she was drawing cartoons for the popular students’ magazine “Electron”. While working for "Electron", Vladana met her husband Mića. After she completed her degree, she became a teaching assistant at the School of Electrical Engineering of Belgrade University and made a break in drawing. Vladana gave a birth to her daughter Aleksandra in 1970, and found new inspiration in illustrating Aleksandra and her friends. She became an illustrator of a well known magazine for youth Politikin Zabavnik. She had been working for the magazine for the next twenty one years. In 1973, the editors of Politikin Zabavnik recommended Vladana to illustrate The Treasury of Children's Poems by Jova Jovanović Zmaj, which continues to be the best-seller of all times. After this she illustrated more than twenty books for children: Sparrow Rayko, Most Beautiful Fables, Counting Songs, For Your Birthday, Princess Milly, and others. At the same time, she was teaching and researching at the School of Electrical Engineering. She defended her PhD thesis in the area of optical communications. When Slobodan Milošević came to power and made unreasonable demands which she refused to support, she was not allowed to enter her school building workplace for two years. She started the correspondence with the list of a thousand alumniaround the world, informing them about the events of those dark times. The correspondence was published in An E-mail has Arrived. Her political engagement was reported by Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, and other non-government organizations. When Milošević was ousted, she returned to the university. In 2001, she became a director of the computing center of the School of Electrical Engineering.
