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What sort of a book would be written by experts in the history of food, sport, medicine, theatre and music, along with a biochemist and a psychologist?

If you’re in tune with UWA and its centenary, the answer is obvious: the history of a university.

These people are among the 21 contributors to the official Centenary history, Seeking Wisdom.

The book was launched at the Alumni Weekend by its editor, Winthrop Professor Jenny Gregory, from the Centre for Western Australian History, and Head of the School of Humanities.

“I have always ensured that I have mentioned the wonderful researchers and writers who helped to create the book,” W/Professor Gregory said. “But, inevitably, a book like this starts to ‘belong’ to the editor in people’s consciousness.”

All but one of the authors has been or is a student or an academic staff member at UWA. That one contributor, Michal Bosworth, wrote a chapter with her husband Richard who is a long-time Professor (now Emeritus) of History at UWA. He is now also a senior research fellow at Jesus College Oxford. Michal is a professional historian with an interest in the histories of the foods we eat.

Also fascinated by food is contributor Cecilia Leong-Salobir, whose research includes the use of cookbooks as historical texts. She wrote a chapter on equity and diversity at UWA.

Sport features in Tony Barker’s chapter, Sporting Life . Emeritus Professor Barker has published widely across historical disciplines but is probably best known for his sporting books, particularly in the field of cricket.

Susan Broomhall wrote a chapter on Caring and the Community : psychology, dentistry, medicine, social work and health sciences at UWA. Winthrop Professor Broomhall specialises in the history of women and gender and has written extensively on female participation in science, medicine and technologies. She teaches units on the history of medicine and health for both arts and medicine students.

Theatre has been a great passion for two contributors, Joan Pope and Bill Dunstone, who collaborated on a chapter on University theatre, drama and the community .

Another writing partnership is John Meyer and Victoria Rogers, both with PhDs in music from UWA. They wrote Harmonising campus and community , a history of University music.

The biochemist is Gillian Lilleyman, whose work in the (former) School of Plant Science led her to work with the late Professor George Seddon in writing A Landscape for Learning: a History of the Grounds of UWA. Once again, she concentrates on the landscape that is a unique component of the University.

Jane Davis, who teaches short courses in Australian studies for study-abroad students at UWA, started her working life as a school psychologist. She joined with scientist Nancy Longnecker in writing a chapter on science and engineering. Associate Professor Longnecker helped to establish the academic Science Communication program at UWA in 2002.

Former student activists Susie Byers, who was a Guild President, and her partner Andrew Thackrah (vice-president) have shared the writing of a chapter on the student experience. Both of them are PhD candidates in different areas of history.

Susannah Thompson, whose PhD at UWA was shortlisted for the best thesis in Australian history, wrote a chapter on the Arts at UWA, along with Jenny Gregory. Dr Thompson now lectures in social science in Tasmania.

A Century of Building or how the campus was created, was researched and written by Robyn Taylor, who combined her history studies with fine arts.

Joseph Christensen, whose research focuses on Western Australian and Australian maritime history, created a chapter on intercultural awareness, the changing international student presence.

Professor Jane Long, who recently left UWA and is now Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at La Trobe University, specialises in the history of poverty and gender relations in late 19 ^th century Britain. Appropriately, as former Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) she contributed the chapter on teaching and learning at UWA.

Toby Burrows, Manager e-Research Support, was formerly the head of the Scholars’ Centre in the Reid Library. His experience contributed to his chapter, Collecting and Informing: the University Library.

UWA’s inaugural Professor of Economic History, Reg Appleyard, is now an Emeritus Professor in the Business School and a mover and shaker in the UWA Historical Society. His chapter is on business and law.

And the only author to contribute two chapters, Norman Etherington, wrote about governing the University and its research. Emeritus Professor Etherington is also a research associate at the University of South Africa, where he has done a lot of his historical research.

There is no chapter bearing the name Jean Chetkovich, but her name does appear under W/Professor Gregory’s. Jean, who now works at the State Library, was Director of the Centre for Western Australian History when the idea for the book was born and she and W/Professor Gregory conceived the Looking Inwards/Looking Outwards structure.

“We were originally going to be joint editors,” Jean said. “But I left the University in 2010 and the role fell to Jenny.”

Jean organised the survey of graduates, helped with copy editing and coped with administrative work.

“I think it’s great to acknowledge all the people who worked on Seeking Wisdom , along with Jenny,” she said. “It was a huge effort for everybody, including all the reviewers. Not many people know that every chapter was peer-reviewed.”

Seeking Wisdom is published by UWAPublishing and is available from the publisher and the Co-op Bookshop.

Seeking Wisdom will be available at the special reduced price of $49.95 (RRP $65.00) for University Club members, between 1 July and 30 August.