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21 Oct 2008

As the start of the Charles Sturt University (CSU) dental and oral health courses approach in February 2009, the University has added the international experience of Professor David Wilson to its teaching staff. Professor Wilson is a professor in dentistry and health science (oral and maxillofacial pathology). He has joined CSU at Orange from the International Medical University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Professor Wilson has also worked in Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and has about 30 years undergraduate and postgraduate teaching experience in oral pathology. He maintains ongoing clinical practice and research into specialist diagnostic oral histopathology. His research interests include oral cancer, oral diseases and forensic odontology.  The new courses offered through the CSU School of Dentistry and Health Sciences  in 2009 include the Bachelor of Dental Science and a Bachelor of Oral Health in Dental Therapy/Dental Hygiene.

Media Officer	: Fiona Halloran
Telephone	: 02 6933 2207

Media Note: Contact CSU Media for interviews with Professor David Wilson.
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21 Oct 2008
A Charles Sturt University (CSU) journalism student has won an award from the Australian Press Council (APC) for ‘outstanding achievement in a subject related to the objects of the Council’. Lecturer in journalism at the CSU School of Communication, Mr Chris McGillion, said that what makes Ms Stephanie Boulet’s APC Prize unusual is that she is a third-year broadcast student, not a print student. “Stephanie was nominated by journalism staff at the School of Communication on the basis of her outstanding academic transcripts and an essay she wrote concerning the ethics of covering Aboriginal issues,” Mr McGillion said. “The Press Council accepted my recommendation even though she is a broadcast major because of the importance of ethics and journalism. This award to a broadcast student demonstrates, in a sense, the APC's appreciation of the continuing merging of traditional print and broadcast media, and how ethical journalism underpins both." Ms Boulet, who is from Castle Hill in Sydney, will be presented with a certificate and a cheque for $300 from the APC by Head of the School of Communication, Mr Rod McCulloch, on Tuesday 21 October.

Media Officer	: Bruce Andrews
Telephone	: 02 63386084

Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews.
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21 Oct 2008
Promoting a positive transition for children into school is the goal of teachers from New Zealand (NZ) who will visit Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the Border region next week. CSU’s Murray School of Education will host the visit by preschool and early school teachers from Taumarunui to schools around Albury-Wodonga. Supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Education, the visit is part of a larger project that involves five primary schools, one secondary school and three early childhood centres. The project seeks to improve the experiences and achievements of Maori students. The changes already achieved by the project members will be shared with Australian teachers at a Transition Forum involving Wodonga schools on Wednesday 22 October. On Thursday 23 October, the NZ teachers will visit schools and early childhood settings in Wodonga and Albury to hear about transition programs and practices. The visit is coordinated by Professor Sue Dockett, who is also collaborating with NZ’s University of Waikato on the project.

Media Officer	: Wes Ward
Telephone	: 02 6051 9906

Media Note: For interviews with Professor Sue Dockett, contact CSU Media.
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21 Oct 2008

Media Officer	: Fiona Halloran
Telephone	: 02 6933 2207

Media Note: Dr Elaine Dietsch is available for interview during International Congo Week. Contact CSU Media. Dr Dietsch will speak at Centrecare in Tarcutta St, Wagga Wagga, from 3.30pm on Wednesday 22 October and at the Australian Breastfeeding Association, Banool Place, Wagga Wagga, from 8pm Wednesday 22 October. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Leeton Central, Dr Dietsch will address numerous primary and secondary schools in the Leeton area on Thursday 23 October and Friday 24 October. The CSU academic will also be guest speaker at a Rotary fund-raising dinner at the Stan Axtill Centre, Leeton, from 7pm Friday 24 October.
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21 Oct 2008
Charles Sturt University (CSU) will stage a range of activities sponsored by its Bathurst Campus Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Committee to mark Safe Work Australia Week (19-25 October). CSU OH&S Committee spokesperson, Ms Carissa Michel, said that work-related injury, illness and death can be prevented through the adoption of safer work practices. “Safety is everybody’s business, and as part of the national workplace safety awareness week we encourage all Charles Sturt University staff and students to concentrate on safety to reduce workplace death, injury and disease. The focus of activities on the Bathurst Campus will be a free sausage sizzle on the library lawn from 12 noon until 2pm on Wednesday 22 October, with various safety activities, giveaways and work safety information available. We also urge all staff to complete their OH&S Workplace Inspection or Safety Management Plan, to meet with their Campus OH&S Committee members, and for all staff and students to report any hazards they identify,” Ms Michel said.

Media Officer	: Bruce Andrews
Telephone	: 02 63386084

Media Note:
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21 Oct 2008

Media Officer	: Bruce Andrews
Telephone	: 02 63386084

Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews. Tickets can be purchased at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre, William St, Bathurst, or booked by phoning (02) 6333 6161.
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21 Oct 2008
The Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Teacher Education will stage a conference about environmental sustainability at the Bathurst Campus on Friday 24 October. Ms Jan Page, lecturer at the School of Teacher Education, said the conference, Education for Sustainability: Connecting Classrooms and Communities, will provide practical ideas for teachers and community members to adapt and adopt. “The focus is on ways that education for environmental sustainability can be used as an integrating tool for both the school curriculum and for connecting classrooms and communities. The conference is particularly timely given the attention that environmental issues are receiving, and aims to raise the importance of environmental education in schools,” Ms Page said. The conference will include a panel discussion with teachers who have experience of implementing environmental initiatives in schools.

Media Officer	: Bruce Andrews
Telephone	: 02 63386084

Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with Ms Jan Page. The conference, Education for Sustainability: Connecting Classrooms and Communities, is from 9am to 3.30pm on Friday 24 October at the James Hardie Room at the CSU Centre for Professional Development (building S17). Conference guest speakers include Ms Lis Bastion (Creating a vision for a post peak world), Dr Anne Kerle (Habitat Watch: community involvement in caring for terrestrial biodiversity), Ms Meg Leathart, from Warrumbungles Environmental Education Centre (Too much too soon vs the right stuff at the right time: stages in ecological literacy), and Ms Sue Clarke, from Netwaste (What a lot of rubbish! Teaching waste management).
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21 Oct 2008

Media Officer	: Holly-Amber Manning
Telephone	: 02 6365 7813

Media Note: For interviews contact CSU Media.
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21 Oct 2008
School students from the Border region will have a science excursion with a twist next week when the ‘Science in the Bush’ event, hosted by Charles Sturt University (CSU), comes to Albury-Wodonga. Dean of the Faculty of Science at CSU, Professor Nick Klomp, said the two-day expo provides primary and secondary school students with an opportunity to engage with science, engineering, technology and innovation first-hand. The event, to be held on Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 October in the Albury Convention and Performing Arts Centre, will be officially opened by Assistant Director of the Australian Museum, Ms Janet Carding, followed by an address by Professor Klomp, who is also a regular science commentator on ABC radio around Australia.  Science in the Bush is part of the Science in the City Project run by the Australian Museum with Executive Partner, the University of Sydney. The program is supported by the Australian Government through the Science Connections Programme of the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.

Media Officer	: Wes Ward
Telephone	: 02 6051 9906

Media Note: For interviews with Professor Klomp, contact CSU Media. More information on ‘Science in the Bush’ is available here.
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21 Oct 2008
Dietitians working in Wagga Wagga and the surrounding district, as well as final year Charles Sturt University (CSU) nutrition and dietetic students, will gather at CSU on Tuesday 28 October to hear from Ms Barbara Eden, dietitian with the Heart Foundation in NSW. Ms Eden will address local dietitians working in the public and private sectors about the Heart Foundation’s new catering recommendations as well as the health impact of other Heart Foundation initiatives. Based at the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences in Wagga Wagga, CSU’s Bachelor of Health Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) is the first of its kind offered outside a metropolitan area in Australia.

Media Officer	: Fiona Halloran
Telephone	: 02 6933 2207

Media Note: Ms Barbara Eden will address third year CSU students from 9am Tuesday 28 October in the Convention Centre, CSU Wagga Wagga. She will address local dietitians at the same venue from 1.30pm. For interviews with Ms Eden, contact Heart Foundation NSW Media and Communications Manager, Ms Kerry Kalcher on 02 9219 2433 or 0401 672 12
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21 Oct 2008
The deep aversion some people feel towards mathematics will be among the topics to be discussed at a public forum in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 29 October. The final Edversations Professional Forum for 2009 will pose the question, do kids hate maths? A panel from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Education in Wagga Wagga, local schools and support agencies will participate in the forum. The current ideas about maths and controversies in mathematics education will also be on the agenda. The Edversations Professional Forum series is an initiative of CSU and Wagga Wagga City Council. CSU wine and cheese will be served after the forum.

Media Officer	: Fiona Halloran
Telephone	: 02 6933 2207

Media Note: The forum will be held from 6pm Wednesday 29 October in the Council meeting room, Civic Centre, Baylis St, Wagga Wagga. Senior lecturer with the CSU School of Education in Wagga Wagga, Dr Andrew Wallace is available for interview. Contact CSU Media.
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21 Oct 2008
An Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) journalist with strong ties to Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Wagga Wagga, Mr Duncan Huntsdale, will be guest speaker at the inaugural dinner being held to celebrate the role of young professionals in the Wagga Wagga community. The Celebratory Dinner will be held on Friday 31 October to acknowledge the contributions young people aged mainly between 20 to 35 years make locally. Now based in Sydney, Mr Huntsdale is the sports journalist and sports presenter for ABC television news. He was educated in Wagga Wagga and Sydney, obtained a journalism degree at CSU, and worked as a sports journalist at Prime Television in Wagga Wagga before joining the ABC in 1998. “I am looking forward to returning to Wagga Wagga where my parents live and where I went to school and began my media career,” said Mr Huntsdale. “I also look forward to supporting Charles Sturt University in organising this event for young professionals as it is where I obtained my journalism degree and met my future wife.”

Media Officer	: Fiona Halloran
Telephone	: 02 6933 2207

Media Note: The Celebratory Dinner will be held from 7pm Friday 31 October at the Convention Centre, CSU at Wagga Wagga. Transportation will be provided and entertainment is by Rhythm Method. For further information including ticket sales, contact CSU Marketing Officer Ms Sarah Wild on 02 6933 2228 or send an email.
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21 Oct 2008
A new academic at Charles Sturt University (CSU), Mrs Kelly Spuur, is passionate about mammography and is close to completing a PhD which aims to improve the quality of clinical breast images. A mammographer is a radiographer trained in breast imaging. Mrs Spuur believes her field is gaining popularity as an occupation, with mammographers in high demand around the world. After 16 years at Riverina Medical Imaging and BreastScreen in Wagga Wagga, she moved to CSU earlier this year. Mrs Spuur convenes a biennial mammographers conference in Wagga Wagga which this year attracted 130 specialists from across Australia. Her PhD examines the quality and evaluation of breast images in a clinical setting with the goal of developing a computer program to enhance the digital images. “This program will improve image quality and the ability of mammographers to screen using established quantitative imaging criteria,” she said. Mrs Spuur also teaches undergraduate students at the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences in subjects about radiological equipment and x-ray production.

Media Officer	: Kate Roberts
Telephone	: 02 6933 2207

Media Note: For interviews contact CSU Media.
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21 Oct 2008
An administrator from Charles Sturt University in Ontario, Canada, is visiting Australia to meet staff at the University to gain a better understanding of its systems, procedures and operational requirements. Mrs Jan Cahusac, an administrative officer who supports staff and the Head of School at the CSU Ontario School of Education, is spending 16 days in Australia and will divide her time between CSU at Bathurst and at Wagga Wagga. “This is my first visit to Australia and it’s fabulous,” Mrs Cahusac said. “I started at Charles Sturt University in Ontario when it began and it is wonderful to at last meet face-to-face with Faculty of Education colleagues here with whom I’ve been communicating by email for the last three years. I’m gaining many insights into how the University operates and how I can better integrate our work.” In 2008, there are 203 students studying the Bachelor of Primary Education Studies at the CSU Ontario School of Education at Burlington, Ontario.

Media Officer	: Bruce Andrews
Telephone	: 02 63386084

Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews.
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20 Oct 2008
For NSW senior high school students, the Higher School Certificate is the ultimate challenge and when competing against thousands of other students for limited university places, the more resources they can access the better. In the past, the Internet has not been seen as a consistently credible source of information for materials, but now teachers are encouraging students to get extra help online. In 2007, the Charles Sturt University (CSU) hosted website NSW HSC Online delivered 13 million pages to users, offering information to students, teachers and parents, with 2008 figures indicating even higher access, despite slightly fewer HSC enrolments. CSU lecturer and NSW HSC Online project coordinator Mr Bob Dengate believes that students and teachers benefit greatly from the site. "With material for 48 HSC subjects, supplemented by advice on study strategies and the availability of past examination papers and markers' comments, figures for this month are expected to approach two million pages."

Media Officer	: Holly-Amber Manning
Telephone	: 02 6365 7813

Media Note: For interviews contact CSU Media.
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17 Oct 2008

Media Officer	: Holly-Amber Manning
Telephone	: 02 6365 7813

Media Note: The public are welcome to attend the lecture which will take place from 12 noon to 1pm on Tuesday 21 October, Lecture Room 1, on the CSU Orange Campus. For interviews contact CSU Media.
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15 Oct 2008
The Charles Sturt University (CSU) Bathurst Campus Health Promotion Service is holding a free ‘Chill Out’ barbeque on the library lawn at 11.30am on Thursday 16 October to promote awareness of mental health, sexual health, and alcohol and other drug issues. CSU spokesperson and University nurse, Ms Kathryn Foster, said October is Mental Health Month at CSU and this promotion has been designed to bring in relevant organisations to encourage a closer link between the University and the wider community. “Often, mental health issues can influence students’ intake of alcohol and drugs, leading to poor sleep, course failure, violence and unsafe sex,” she said. “So it is important for everyone to be aware of the services available in our community to help when stress, anxiety or depression are affecting our daily lives.” A range of services and personnel will be present to advise students and guide activities.

Media Officer	: Bruce Andrews
Telephone	: 02 63386084

Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews. Ms Foster will be present to speak to students and staff about women’s health and sexual health services available, and to distribute showbags and other resources. Police officers from the Chifley Area Command in Bathurst will be cooking the barbeque, while alcohol and other drug (A&OD) workers from the Greater Western Area Health Service will serve ‘mocktails’. Ms Michelle Warn will represent the Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) and the Rural Alcohol Diversion (RAD) programs. headspace will promote mental health services for young people, and the Road Safety Officer from Bathurst Regional Council, Ms Iris Dorsett, will promote awareness of the dangers of alcohol and drug use particularly when driving.
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14 Oct 2008
Four graduates from the Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Communication  received awards in three categories at the 2008 Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs), which were presented at the Gold Coast on Saturday 11 October. Award winners Ms Katrina Brown, Mr Christopher Baskerville, and Mr Cameron Williams are graduates of the Bachelor of Arts (Commercial Radio), while Ms Josie Hand graduated from the Bachelor of Arts (Communication - Public Relations and Organisational Communication) course. Mr Michael Thompson, a 2007 CSU journalism graduate who now works at 2GB in Sydney, won the award for Best Show Producer in the Talk and Current Affairs category. He previously won the 2007 award for the Best Newcomer Off Air. Ms Laura Tunstall, a 2005 CSU journalism graduate who also works at 2GB won the prestigious 2008 Brian White Memorial Award. Mr Baskerville, who is currently Production Manager and Drive Announcer with Bathurst Broadcasters (2BS), said "It's fantastic to have been nominated for an award and even better to win. I'm just lucky to have had the excellent facilities and training at Charles Sturt University so I can compete with the best in the radio industry." Course coordinator for the CSU commercial radio course, Mr Brett Van Heekeren, said “The awards demonstrate that Charles Sturt University gives our graduates the range of skills and expertise that allows them to succeed in their industry.”

Media Officer	: Bruce Andrews
Telephone	: 02 63386084

Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with Mr Brett Van Heekeren.
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14 Oct 2008
Charles Sturt University (CSU) allied health students will meet with employers in the health sector in Albury on Thursday 16 October to consider their futures. Potential employers have been invited by CSU to promote positions and careers to the final year students before they finish their degrees. This year’s annual CSU Job Market, now in its sixth year, will have an international flavour as a group of health employer representatives from Singapore will also attend the market. The expo will include prospective employers for speech pathologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. “There is always a buzz in the room at this expo. As they face the end of their courses, the students are considering their options and this expo brings many of these options under one roof,” said Dr Megan Smith, physiotherapy course coordinator at CSU. Research shows that between 2002 and 2007, up to 60 per cent of graduates from CSU started their careers in regional, rural and remote Australia.

Media Officer	: Wes Ward
Telephone	: 02 6051 9906

Media Note: For interviews with Dr Megan Smith, contact CSU Media.
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14 Oct 2008

Media Officer	: Kate Roberts
Telephone	: 02 6933 2207

Media Note: Interested people are welcome to attend the talk and spotlight walk from 8pm – 9pm on 16 October at the Kings Billabong, Mildura. People are requested to arrive from 7.30pm onwards and are encouraged to bring torches, sturdy walking shoes and any frog call recordings, photos and questions.
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