Campus author - The University of Reading, Department of Dairying

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

The University of Reading, Department of Dairying: the history of an unusual university department over its first hundred years

Dr James Rothwell and Professor Harry Nursten

ISBN 978-0-7049-1525-1

The late Dr James Rothwell started to compile a history of the Department of Dairying, from its beginning as the British Dairy Institute in 1888 through to its move as the Department of Food Science in 1982 to the Food Studies building on the Whiteknights campus. Professor Harry Nursten took up the story and completed it after Dr Rothwell's death.

Prof Nursten said: 'I am very proud of my association with the department and what it has achieved, as was Dr Rothwell. Although Dairying no longer appears in the department's title, it continues and will continue to play an important role in the courses taught and in the research undertaken, often in collaboration with the Dairy Industry, both in the UK and abroad.'

Dr Rothwell and Prof Nursten describe the development of staff and students, along with that of the courses taught, the qualifications made available, the research carried out, and organizational structure needed. All this in the context of a university department closely associated with an industry important to the country. It thus differs in several respects from typical arts or science departments, but has parallels in others, such as Brewing at Heriot Watt, Leather Manufacture and Textiles at Leeds, and Glass Making at Sheffield.

The booklet can be purchased from the Department - £10, including postage for the UK, and £12 overseas, and is available from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, on food@reading.ac.uk or call 0118 378 8700.