Three graduation ceremonies to be staged by Charles Sturt University (CSU) will return to central Albury over two days from next Thursday morning, 13 December.

 

Nearly 730 graduates will be eligible to receive their doctorates, degrees, diplomas and certificates from senior CSU staff, with over 600 expected to attend their ceremonies together with 1 700 guests.

 

The venue will be the Albury Entertainment Centre in Swift Street, central Albury.

  

Stories of interest from the ceremonies include:

 

Thursday 13 December, starting at 3pm, for graduates from the Faculties of Education and Arts. The occasional address will be given by the Dean of Education at Australian Catholic University, Professor Marie Emmitt, based in Melbourne.

 

Friday 14 December, starting at 9.30am, for graduates from the Schools of Environmental Sciences, Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health, and Agriculture and Wine Sciences in the Faculty of Science. The occasional address will be given by the Sustainability Manager of Skillset in Bathurst, Mr Ashley Bland.

 

 

It took Ms Gayleen Bourke a while to get around to completing a university degree – she is now 46 years old. But now having won a University Medal from CSU, the former New Zealander is grateful that she was encouraged to start a CSU degree in environmental management and then complete an Honours research project with the School of Environmental Sciences. "I have really enjoyed being a student, and I have loved the campus at Thurgoona," Ms Bourke said. "University certainly has changed a lot - I didn't expect to find myself searching for bears in the mountains of the north-west USA as part of my degree. Other highlights were helping PhD students with fieldwork, Dave's Desert Trip (with Associate Professor David Watson), and Ben's first geology lecture (with Associate Professor Ben Wilson). They were all unforgettable." Ms Bourke is now writing a research journal article arising from the results of her Honours project, and she is following up on some employment opportunities.

 

 

During her research into the impacts of fishing regulations on the sustainability of Murray Crayfish (Euastacus armatus) in Australia, Dr Sylvia Zukowski has developed a number of startling suggestions to increase the long-term sustainability of this iconic species, including stopping the fishing for Murray Crayfish for up to five years, increasing community consultation and engagement, increasing compliance rates, decreasing the minimum size limit and maximum number of nets per campsite, and opening the fishing season later. Dr Zukowski filled large gaps in knowledge about Murray Crayfish, gathering biological data and ecological knowledge from local fishers to assess the impact of current fishing regulations on the sustainability of the species.

 

 

In her research into social justice in Australian water reform, Dr Anna Lukasiewicz explored the intentions, actions and perceptions of justice in the Murray-Darling Basin water reform process. Dr Lukasiewicz's work produced a Social Justice Framework, which enabled her to systematically identify justice principles across policy documents and management plans. "But I found government intention was not translated directly into action and stakeholder perceptions differed significantly and I wanted to know why," Dr Lukasiewicz said. "I highlighted the importance of justice in government reforms and showed you can track specific justice principles, all the way from developing policy to implementing it."

 

The Himalayan state of Nepal has been developing the concept of community forestry since the 1970s to improve forest management and reduce poverty among its rural people that depend on forests. However, the benefits from programs promoting community forestry have not always been distributed equitably within rural communities. In his project, Dr Binod Devkota analysed the variable outcomes of community forestry in three very different communities, and has increased understanding of how to refine support for government and international programs so that the benefits can be more widely shared in Nepalese communities.

 

In an Australian first, Dr Wendy Minato examined the effects of social norms on the management of rural property. Looking at a rural community in north-eastern Victoria that was undergoing a changing population, Dr Minato showed that landholders are affected by the social norms of the community, which can help guide those seeking to improve the effectiveness of government-funded programs looking to improve natural resource management.

 

Friday 14 December, starting at 11am, for graduates from the School of Community Health in the Faculty of Science. The occasional address will be given by Associate Professor Catherine Burns,

Director of Research with private dental company 'Second Bite' and CSU's School of Dentistry & Health Sciences in Wagga Wagga.

 

 

University Medal winner Ms Marion Nash has completed her course via distance education from her home town of Parkes in central NSW. "I found the Bachelor of Health and Rehabilitation Science course challenging but extremely rewarding, particularly the biomedical science subjects. I really enjoyed being back in a learning environment and I encourage anyone who has ever contemplated university study to take the plunge! The University Medal was a wonderful surprise and the ideal way to celebrate four years of study. I feel very honoured and humbled to receive this recognition." Ms Nash is currently investigating employment options for 2013.

 

 

Embarking on an Honours program is a well established introduction into the world of research for many undergraduate students. Senior CSU staff member with the School of Community Health and PhD graduate, Dr Caroline Robinson, explored the experience of allied health students enrolled in Honours and undertaking their own research in such areas as occupational therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry and speech pathology. The study highlighted the challenges these students face, as they learn how to combine research with professional practice to become practitioner-researchers. "Honours is a transforming experience and the development of practitioner-researchers is vital for future research in the allied health professions to ensure the continuing development of practice knowledge," Dr Robinson said.

 

Friday 14 December, starting at 3pm, for graduates from the Faculty of Business. The occasional address will be given by federal Member for Farrer and CSU alumnus, The Hon Sussan Ley.