• Charles Sturt academics have organised events for Social Sciences Week 
  
• The week is aimed at showcasing the diverse range of social sciences and research in Australia
• Social Sciences Week is held from Monday 4 to Sunday 10 September

Charles Sturt University academics are doing away with the jargon and bringing social sciences back to the people in Social Sciences Week.

Industry knowledge and University research will be presented on a global scale as Charles Sturt academics participate in a range of events for Social Sciences Week, from Friday 4 to Thursday 10 September.

The week is coordinated by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and involves in-person, online and hybrid events organised by universities from across the country.

Lecturer in Social Work in the Charles Sturt University School of Social Work and Arts Dr Will Dobud and Senior Lecturer in Information Studies in the School of Information and Communication Studies Dr Kasey Garrison, both in Wagga Wagga, have organised events for Social Sciences Week.

Dr Dobud has organised multiple events across the week with numerous academics from Charles Sturt University.

His events include:

• ‘Outdoor Therapies: Pathways for Change and the Trail Ahead’ on Monday 4 September from 8am to 9am
• ‘Walk and Goat Therapy: Why the Concerns about Counseling Outside are actually Opportunities’ on Tuesday 5 September from 8am to 9am
• ‘The Adventure Therapy Power Couple’ on Tuesday 5 September from 9am to 10am
• ‘Paddleboarding in your 90s: Outdoor Therapy with Older People’ on Tuesday 5 September from 6pm to 7pm
• ‘Scanning Adventure and Outdoor Therapy Education, Professionalism and Practice’ on Wednesday 6 September from 8am to 9am
• ‘Women on Water (WOW): Good Food, Community, Connectivity, and Planning for Fun in Adventure Programming’ on Wednesday 6 September from 6pm to 7pm
• ‘Kids These Days: Harnessing the Heroism of Youth’ on Thursday 7 September from 8am to 9am
• ‘Fostering Inclusivity Outdoors through Emotional Safety’ on Thursday 7 September from 6pm to 7pm
• ‘Professional Youth Work Outdoors’ on Friday 8 September from 8am to 9am

Dr Dobud said Social Sciences Week allows researchers and academics to showcase their initiatives on a global scale.

“Most peer reviewed research exists behind a journal’s paywall, which most people do not have access to,” he said.

“Social Sciences Week is a grassroots movement designed to promote our work and focus areas to a wider audience. I love Social Sciences Week because it forces us rooted in academia to consider how to disseminate research in a more engaging fashion.

“The opportunity to provide free events showcases a lot of what our school is doing in promoting eco social work, outdoor therapy and just good social work practice.”

Dr Garrison said Charles Sturt, as a public institute focused on research and education, has a responsibility to promote the research and initiatives happening in the social science space.

She coordinated a show on SICS Radio, titled ‘Evolving Horizons: AI’s Impact on Research and Education in Information and Communication Studies’, with three academics from the Charles Sturt School of Information and Communication Studies on Monday 4 September from 5.30pm to 6pm.

The other Charles Sturt lecturers coordinating the radio show are Dr Jane Garner, Associate Professor Mary Carroll and Dr Simon Wakeling.

Members of the public can listen to this free show online.

“As our Social Sciences Week event is about emerging perspectives of AI in information and communication studies, we are hoping to highlight the importance of this growing area to our listeners’ daily lives and how its growth affects them,” Dr Garrison said.

“Making positive changes and supporting communities are really at the core of any social science research.

“Highlighting our work through events like Social Sciences Week is critical in getting our message out and spreading new knowledge at the grassroots level.”