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REGIONAL NEWS
Home > Regional News
CSU academic gets buzz out of diabetes research
19 Sep 2008
 Spring has definitely sprung with daffodils blooming and bees buzzing, which also announces ‘Buzz Day’, a Diabetes Australia initiative raising funds into diabetes research. Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic Dr Herbert Jelinek supports the day, saying “Events like Buzz Day are essential to raise funds for research into diabetes," he says. "Without these funds, research projects like the studies we are conducting at CSU in the Border region could not happen.” A diabetes expert, Dr Herbert Jelinek is concerned at the rapid growth of diabetes on the Border and around Australia in recent years. “Diabetes is the fastest growing disease in Australia, a trend reflected in regional areas including Albury-Wodonga,” he said. An annual fundraising event, Diabetes Buzz Day is the biggest appeal by Diabetes Australia and aims to raise $400 000 for diabetes awareness, education, research and advocacy programs.
Media Note: For more information on Buzz Day visit here and for interviews contact CSU Media. Print this story Global smart water solutions
18 Sep 2008
 Assisting the Chinese government to improve its management of water resources in large irrigation systems is the motivation behind a visit to Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga by a delegation from China. The nine officials from China’s Ministry of Water Resources, the Yellow River Commission and Irrigation Department and Research Institutes will meet with representatives from CSU’s International Centre of WATER for Food Security (IC WATER) in Wagga Wagga on Friday 19 September. The Australia-China Environment Development Program (ACEDP) is a five year, $25 million Australian Government, AusAID initiative. Managing large irrigation systems using remote sensing is one of 11 approved projects under the ACEDP initiative. IC WATER is working with Chinese agencies to improve water use efficiency in the People Victory Channel Irrigation System in China. While at CSU, the delegates will learn about the novel remote sensing application for irrigation water management, while the delegation will also travel to Coleambally in southern NSW on Saturday 20 September. “The visit demonstrates how state-of-the-art remote sensing based hydrological assessment tools could be used for efficient water management in data sparse environment,” said the new Director of IC WATER, Associate Professor Mohsin Hafeez. Read more about Professor Hafeez here.
Media Note: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Ross Chambers will welcome the delegates to the University from 8 to 8.30am in the David Asimus Court, building 480, carpark 12, Valder Way, on CSU Wagga Wagga Campus. The delegates will also be available for interviews during lunch at 12.30pm. Contact CSU Media. Print this story Choose science degree now
16 Sep 2008
 The recent decision by the Federal government to reduce the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) loan repayments for science and mathematics programs offered by Australian universities is a positive message for young Australians, especially those in inland areas, says the Dean of the Faculty of Science at Charles Sturt University (CSU), Professor Nick Klomp. “The move recognises the importance of science for Australia’s future in the knowledge world,” he says. “Although total university enrolments have increased in recent decades, enrolments in science courses have not. This recent federal announcement will help Australia obtain the science graduates it needs to meet the scientific, environmental and technological challenges of the 21st century.” CSU offers science courses in such diverse areas as agricultural, veterinary and wine sciences, dental, biomedical and health sciences, environmental and water sciences, and science teaching.
Media Note: For interviews with Professor Nick Klomp, contact CSU Media. Print this story Carbon trading top guns for Albury seminar
16 Sep 2008
 With climate change and carbon trading high on the national agenda, Border organisation will look at the opportunities for local farmers and land mangers to take advantage of the proposed carbon trading system. Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Institute for Land, Water and Society (ILWS), in collaboration with Australian Alpine Valleys Agribusiness Forum, will host a forum on Wednesday 17 September to discuss carbon trading and its implications for rural businesses and wider communities, including the genuine and ‘other’ entrepreneurs who are expected to offer environmental services to them. The panel of carbon trading and environmental experts will include Martijn Wilder, head of Baker & McKenzie's global change and emissions trading practice, and Professor Max Finlayson, ILWS director and internationally recognised wetland ecologist and advisor to the Australian Prime Minister on carbon trading, as well as Professors Mark Morrison and Allan Curtis from ILWS. Other partners in the event are the Victorian North East Catchment Management Authority, the Victorian Department of Primary Industries and Plantations North East.
Media Note: For more information on the Environmental Services seminar, contact Margrit Beemster on (02) 6051 9653. See the seminar program here. The seminar will be held on Wednesday 17 September at CSU’s Nowik Lecture Theatres, Guinea St, Albury. Print this story Rural cervical cancer research
16 Sep 2008
Services for women with cervical cancer who live in rural Australia could be improved as a result of a study to be carried out by a Charles Sturt University (CSU) psychology student. Ms Melissa Elleray, a fourth year Honours student at the School of Social Sciences and Liberal Studies, hopes her study of rural women who have had cervical cancer will provide insight into their experiences so that services and funding can be better targeted. “There seems to be little support for or awareness about how rural women experience cervical cancer, and as I have experienced a risk of developing the disease myself, I want to help these women have their stories heard. My research will explore what it was like going through treatment while trying to maintain a normal life,” Ms Elleray said. The research requires confidential face-to-face interviews with up to 12 women in rural NSW and Victoria before the end of 2008. Women interested in participating in the research can contact Ms Elleray on 0409 808 598.
Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with Ms Melissa Elleray. Print this story Improving new born lamb survival rates
16 Sep 2008
 A research project at Charles Sturt University (CSU) using global positioning system (GPS) collars to track the movement of ewes and their newborn lambs aims to reduce the high lamb mortality rate and boost farm productivity. Starvation, mismothering and exposure contribute to up to 40 per cent of lamb mortalities and the rate for twins is higher, but appropriately designed ‘sheep shelters’ could reduce these levels. Based at the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, PhD student Mr John Broster says a greater understanding of how animals use shelter and appropriate shelter design may lead to a decrease in deaths. “I’m looking at how both ewes and newborn lambs use two different types of shelter: shrub rows and shorter hedgerows of either phalaris (a perennial pasture), or artificial hessian cloth,” he said. Preliminary data from the electronic tracking devices has shown that reducing wind speed through shelter has influenced lamb survival rates. “The project is important because the results will demonstrate to farmers the optimum shelter design in order to improve newborn lamb survival, which will increase farmers’ income. Farmers may also choose to design tree plantings to suit the needs of sheep during lambing.” The 3 year project is funded by the Future Farm Industries Cooperative Research Centre and is using an EverGraze project site in the Tarcutta catchment in southern NSW.
Media Note: Contact CSU Media for interviews. Print this story Age and skills limiting regional businesses
16 Sep 2008
 An ageing workforce and difficulties in attracting and retaining young professionals are seen as the most important concerns for the future of Border businesses, according to a group of leading businesspeople and Charles Sturt University (CSU) academics. Drawn from leading Border businesses and the University’s School of Business and Information Technology (SBIT), the group identified in-house graduate placement programs among the main ways of attracting and retaining young professionals in local businesses. Head of SBIT, Associate Professor John Atkinson, believes one solution to the skills shortage is to develop a stronger professional community, which could be facilitated by developing closer links between the community and CSU. “The group identified areas such as offering more work internships to CSU students, mentoring and guest lectures as ways the community could offer its services to the University, while the School can provide research expertise and findings, target employment skills in courses, and provide forums for topical community issues.” The group will meet again later in the year to further strengthen the linkages between the School and the Border community.
Media Note: For interviews with Associate Professor John Atkinson, contact CSU Media. Print this story Echoes of the past
09 Sep 2008
 In the mid-1860s many hardworking German farmers left South Australia to select cheap farming land in the fertile Southern Riverina region of NSW. Charles Sturt University (CSU) archaeologist and cultural heritage manager, Associate Professor Dirk Spennemann, has captured this link to the region’s past in his first public photographic exhibition ‘Echoes of the Past, Voices of the Future’. The exhibition traces the remaining reminders of German communities such as Jindera, Gerogery, Walla Walla and Edgehill between Albury and Wagga Wagga, and examines what role their past may play in the future. Held in partnership with Albury City to celebrate National History Week 2008 from 6 to 14 September, ‘Echoes of the Past’ opens at the Albury Library Museum, Kiewa St, on Thursday 11 September. “We have a high concentration of German settlements in the region but not much research has been done on them. More than 30 per cent of people living here would have German ancestry,” said Professor Spennemann, a key researcher with the University’s Institute for Land, Water and Society.
Media Note: For interviews with Professor Spennemann contact Margrit Beemster on (02) 6051 9653.
Print this story So much sky
09 Sep 2008
‘So much sky’ was one of the early impressions of post-World War II immigrants from war-torn Europe when they arrived at the Bonegilla Reception and Training Centre near Wodonga between 1947 and 1971. Over many years, Bruce Pennay, an adjunct Associate Professor with Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Institute for Land, Water and Society (ILWS), has researched the stories of these newcomers to the vast Australian continent. Starting at 11am on Friday 12 September as part of National History Week, Professor Pennay will launch So Much Sky, a history of the Bonegilla centre which traces the migrants’ journeys and relates to the post-war immigration which was the biggest demographic change for Australia since the gold rushes of the nineteenth century. So Much Sky and an associated website were jointly funded by Albury City and the NSW Migration Heritage Centre.
Media Note: See more information at the So Much Sky website. The launch will start at 11am on Friday 12 September in the Albury Library Museum, Kiewa St, Albury. Print this story International experience for pharmacy students
09 Sep 2008
Media Note: The CSU pharmacy program is based on the Wagga Wagga and Orange campuses. For interviews, contact CSU Media. The 7th Asia-Pacific Pharmaceutical Symposium was organised by the International Pharmaceutical Student Federation, the Asia Pacific Regional Office and the Pharmacy Student Union Thailand. Mr Ledger and Mr Smith attended with the financial support of the CSU School of Biomedical Sciences and the University’s Pharmacy Foundation. Print this story Council visit to vet facilities
08 Sep 2008
 The Veterinary Clinical Centre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will play host to senior staff from the Wagga Wagga City Council on Tuesday 9 September. Council's new Director of Environmental and Community Services, Mrs Janice Summerhayes, acting Director of Planning, Mr Mark Gardiner and acting Manager Natural Environment and Regulatory, Mr Greg Minehan will inspect the new facilities for the CSU veterinary science program from 8.30am. Fourth year veterinary science students are the first CSU students to benefit from the clinic which was officially opened in July. The clinic includes modern surgical facilities for large and small animals, diagnostic imaging and reproduction services for horses. In agreement with Wagga Wagga City Council, fourth year students conduct health checks and spey dogs and cats from the Council’s Glenfield Road Animal Shelter. New homes are then found for the animals. The visit to the Veterinary Clinical Centre will be hosted by the Head of the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Professor Kym Abbott. Read more about the clinic here.
Media Note: The Veterinary Clinical Centre is located on Agriculture Avenue near the Equine Centre, CSU, Wagga Wagga.
Print this story Reconciliation, social justice and the role of universities
08 Sep 2008
.jpg) The role of Australian universities in promoting reconciliation and social justice through education to meet the needs of Indigenous Australians is the subject of a public lecture at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Dubbo Campus on Wednesday 10 September. Ms Wendy Nolan, senior lecturer and Deputy Director of the CSU Centre for Indigenous Studies, will present the lecture which argues for the need to equip non-Indigenous graduates with knowledge and understanding of Indigenous Australian cultures, histories and contemporary realities to help them work effectively with Indigenous people.“Many national reports show Indigenous disadvantage is compounded by cross-cultural ignorance, resulting in ineffective policy and service provision. Achieving reconciliation relies on building a knowledgeable and mature society committed to achieving social justice for Indigenous Australians.” Ms Nolan will also discuss the benefits of incorporating Indigenous content into university curriculum and conclude with an overview of CSU’s commitment to reconciliation and social justice.
Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with Ms Wendy Nolan. The public lecture, Reconciliation and Social Justice: The Role of Australian Universities in Educating for Change, will be presented in the Lecture Theatre, Room 422, Charles Sturt University, Yarrandale Road, Dubbo at 6pm on Wednesday 10 September. CSU wines and cheeses will be served following the lecture. RSVP to Ms Pia Prangenberg on (02) 6885 7370 or pprangenberg@csu.edu.au
Print this story Tossing out food like a running tap
04 Sep 2008
A visiting international water expert believes "Tossing out food is just like keeping the tap running". Dr Charlotte de Fraiture, from the International Water Management Institute in Sri Lanka, will speak on Water for Fuel and Food in a Changing World at a public seminar to be hosted next week by Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Institute for Land, Water and Society (ILWS). Dr de Fraiture, who was a keynote speaker at the 11th International Riversymposium held recently in Brisbane, Queensland, will speak at the School of Environmental Sciences on the University’s Thurgoona site. Dr de Fraiture has worked on such diverse water issues as catchment development, measuring irrigation performance, and modelling global water supply and demand. The seminar, starting at 3pm on Monday 8 September, will be followed by afternoon tea and an opportunity to speak with Dr de Fraiture.
Media Note: For interviews with Dr Charlotte de Fraiture, contact ILWS communications coordinator Margrit Beemster on (02) 6051 9653 or on email. Dr de Fraiture will be available for interviews tomorrow, Friday 5 September, at 10am at the School of Environmental Sciences building on CSU’s Albury-Wodonga Campus, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona. Print this story Back from Beijing
02 Sep 2008
 Four television production students and an acting student from Charles Sturt University (CSU) have returned to CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus on the weekend after testing their television production skills at the world’s biggest sporting event for four weeks at the Beijing Olympics. The students were employed as camera operators and production support staff on the Olympic Green in the Chinese capital. The third year students have hailed their time at the Olympic Games as a wonderful opportunity as they prepare to embark on their careers at the end of the year. “We loved going into work each day during the Olympics,” said television production student Ms Katrina Beesley. “The grounding that we had from CSU lecturers gave us the professionalism we needed to work at the international event and that was reaffirmed by our employers. Hopefully, Beijing will be the first of many Olympics Games that we get to work on." The CSU School of Visual and Performing Arts, educates television production students for entry to the television industry.
Media Note: For interviews, contact CSU Media. Print this story A healthy community
02 Sep 2008
 Director of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Centre for Inland Health, Dr Rod Pope, will participate in the annual community forum to be held this week by the Greater Southern Area Health Service (GSAHS). The forum, hosted by the Area Health Advisory Council, will be held at the Gemini Motor Inn in Griffith’s Banna Avenue from 10am to 12.30pm on Wednesday 3 September. Dr Pope will address the forum from 10.40am on the topic, ‘What does health mean to the community?’ The Centre for Inland Health was established in 2007, and its mission is to play a leading role in improving the health and longevity of the people of inland Australia. It brings together health educators, researchers, service providers and local communities to identify, examine and solve priority health concerns of inland communities.
Media Note: For an interview with the Director of the Centre for Inland Health, Dr Rod Pope contact CSU Media. Print this story Donation to work in the Congo
02 Sep 2008
 Charles Sturt University (CSU) staff have given a helping hand to an academic’s work for women and children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Dr Elaine Dietsch, a lecturer at the CSU School of Midwifery and Nursing in Wagga Wagga, visits the troubled African country each year to use her nursing and midwifery skills to aid the women and children plagued by militias, rebels and malnutrition. Educational designers in the University’s Centre for Enhancing Learning and Teaching in Wagga Wagga were recently awarded $150 in the Wagga Mutual Credit Union Safety Awareness Program. The 12-member team has donated its prize money plus another $20 to support Dr Dietsch’s work in the DRC. “The money will hopefully make a difference to the women of the village Luganda in DRC,” said CSU educational designer Ms Milena Dunn. “These women carry huge loads of up to 50 kilograms of firewood from the village, 18 kilometres to the town of Bukavu. They are paid 30 cents a load and are at constant risk from militia groups and rebels,” said Dr Dietsch. “The donation will be used to establish projects for a small community of women to ensure an alternative means of sustainable employment.”
Media Note: The Wagga Mutual Credit Union Safety Awareness Program recognises individuals or teams who have made a significant contribution to the promotion of the safety culture at CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus. Read more about Dr Dietsch’s work in the DRC here.
Listen to Dr Dietsch talk about where the donated money will be used in the DRC.
Print this story Regional advisers meet in Bathurst
02 Sep 2008
2.jpg) The Central West Regional Consultative Committee of Charles Sturt University (CSU) met at the Bathurst Campus on Thursday 28 August to provide advice to the University about its activities in the Central West and its relationships with local communities. Committee chair and Head of Bathurst Campus, Mr Col Sharp, said the meeting was informed about the building program on the Bathurst and Orange campuses, and research and other activities that impact on local communities such as Bathurst Aged and Community Care which aims to make Bathurst a more senior-friendly city. “The committee was updated on the many bodies with regional impact that are supported by CSU, like the Western Research Institute (WRI), Arts Out West, the University of the Third Age and the Western Region Institute of Sport. The meeting was also interested to learn of less known interactions that benefit the University and local communities such as CSU public relations projects where students work up briefs for local clients like Oberon Relay for Life, Bathurst Information Centre, and Bathurst Youth Centre,” Mr Sharp said.
Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with Mr Col Sharp. The CSU Act requires the University to establish an advisory committee for its major campuses. Representatives from Bathurst, Orange and Mudgee attended the meeting, with apologies from Lithgow and another Orange representative. The Committee plans to fill vacant positions before the year’s end, including one for Blayney. Print this story Research in information literacy
02 Sep 2008
 The Centre for Information Studies at Charles Sturt University (CSU) has announced its newest publication, Exploring Methods in Information Literacy Research, which provides an overview of approaches to help researchers and professionals to undertake research in information literacy. The book, edited by CSU School of Information Studies lecturers Ms Suzanne Lipu, Dr Anne Lloyd and Dr Kirsty Williamson, opens with an overview of research by Dr Williamson. Subsequent chapters explore the key aspects of a specific research method and explain how it may be applied in practice. The Centre for Information Studies aims to support research, publications and continuing professional development in library and information science, teacher librarianship and Australian literature for young people.
Media Note: For interviews, contact CSU Media. The Centre is part of the School of Information Studies, based in Wagga Wagga, conducts teaching and research in library and information management and teacher librarianship. Print this story New CSU Professor in Communication
26 Aug 2008
 Charles Sturt University (CSU) has appointed its first Professor in Communication. Dr John Carroll, a long-serving academic in the School of Communication at the Bathurst Campus, has been welcomed to his new role by Head of the School of Communication, Associate Professor Rod McCulloch. “This professorial appointment rightfully acknowledges the huge contribution that Professor Carroll has made and will continue to make to the School, through his academic leadership, in the growth of our research and higher degree programs, and in the continued progress and growth of the School in the burgeoning digital communication environment,” Professor McCulloch said. “The School finds itself in the enviable position of being a sought-after destination for higher research and professional studies. This is due in no small way to John’s efforts and commitment to course development, direction and supervision. His knowledge and skills will be essential for the School’s continued success.”
Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with Professor John Carroll or Associate Professor Rod McCulloch. Print this story New wheels to boost police recruitment
26 Aug 2008
 Charles Sturt University (CSU) is making recruiting potential officers from all sectors of the community to the NSW Police Force (NSWPF) a little easier with the donation of a high profile vehicle. The eye-catching Holden Rodeo will be used by the NSWPF Recruitment Branch as a mobile advertising tool. It will be formally presented to NSWPF by CSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Ross Chambers, during a ceremony to swear in the latest probationary constables at the NSW Police College in Goulburn on Friday 29 August. CSU, together with NSWPF, delivers the Associate Degree in Policing Practice, which is the recruit training program for people wanting to join the NSW Police Force. The vehicle will be driven state-wide for career markets, expos and displays. “CSU is delighted to deliver this vehicle to the NSWPF as a symbol of our long-standing and important relationship to educate and train police officers for NSW,” said Professor Chambers. General Manager of NSWPF Recruitment Branch, Inspector Tony Malone, said they wanted a vehicle that would turn heads. “We want to draw attention to NSWPF Recruitment and to our contact details. The Rodeo is proving to be a great marketing tool."
Media Note: The vehicle is due to be handed over to NSW Police Recruitment at approximately 1.30pm during the Attestation Parade at NSW Police College, McDermott Drive, Goulburn. Print this story
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International experience is a key objective of Charles Sturt University (CSU) in its education of students. Two CSU 