• Visiting NSW Minister the Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong, MP, saw how Charles Sturt University is helping regional NSW to thrive by driving innovation and the development of new technologies

Charles Sturt University welcomed NSW Minister the Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong, MP, to the campus in Bathurst recently.

Mr Chanthivong is Member for the seat of Macquarie Fields and is Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections.

Head of Government Relations and Regional Engagement in the Charles Sturt Office of Engagement and Enterprise Ms Samantha Beresford said Minister Chanthivong met with IBM executives co-located at the University and toured the Bathurst campus.

“I was pleased to welcome Minister Chanthivong to the University in Bathurst and to have the opportunity to showcase our research and teaching capability,” Ms Beresford said.

“We are very pleased the Minister was able visit executives at IBM on campus and we look forward to continuing to see this partnership grow.

“It was wonderful to be able to emphasise to the Minister the need for the NSW Government to continue to back innovations in the regions; for example, the recent announcement that the University’s research had demonstrated how to turn hair into graphite for use in batteries and therefore the need to maximise NSW taking advantage of these types of discoveries.”

Minister Chanthivong met with IBM senior executives Mr David Ellis, Managing Partner, IBM Consulting; Ms Kaaren Koomen, AM, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs; and Mrs Julie Fairley, Sales and Delivery Executive, Client Innovation Centre IBM Bathurst Leader.

He then inspected state-of-the-art facilities at Charles Sturt Engineering, interacted with students who were successful in being awarded the Transgrid Civil Engineering scholarship, the Exercise Science Laboratory and the Communication precinct which was redeveloped to support the re-designed Bachelor of Communication degree launched in 2022.