A Charles Sturt University (CSU) science student has been named by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) as a 2015 RAS Rural Achiever.

Bachelor of Science student Ms Rowan Alden is one of eight finalists in the award scheme. Based in the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga, Ms Alden will later this year start an Honours project to study the effect of climate variability on a wheat and rice pathogen.

From Worrigee on the NSW South Coast, Ms Alden is a member of the University's governing body, the CSU Council.  In 2014 Ms Alden secured a student internship at the Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, a research collaboration of CSU and NSW Department of Primary Industries.

She then completed another internship during her Christmas holiday break through the CSIRO's Vacation Scholarship Program.

Ms Alden said, "I am thrilled to have been given this Rural Achiever award. I grew up in the nation's capital and am passionate about agriculture. I hope to show young people from metropolitan Australia that careers in agriculture offer exciting opportunities."

The RAS Rural Achiever program is a year-long networking and professional development program including attendance at Sydney Royal Show functions, a cocktail reception at Government House, tour of NSW Parliament House and sponsor The Land's head office at North Richmond.