The challenges of working to improve the lives of subsistence farmers in war torn African countries will be featured in a public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 11 May 2011. In the lecture titled Sex, babies, money, violence and genetics, international genetics consultant and adjunct senior lecturer with the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Dr Sara McClintock will share her experiences working with the International Livestock Research Centre in Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia.  “I was running a lab trying to produce cheap embryos that would produce 95 per cent female calves to increase the profitability of a local farmer’s cow so she could afford to send her children to school and feed them a little milk.” Dr McClintock said in times of civil unrest, crops are often destroyed, seed stocks stolen and farm animals eaten by the tribal militias. “These animals are usually a local breed that has survived in tough conditions, may be worm resistant or have a low feed requirement,” she said. “One of the solutions is to conserve germ plasma, such as semen, in liquid nitrogen but this can be politically sensitive because many developing countries are paranoid about developed countries stealing their genetic material.”

Staff and students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) are being urged to do their bit for Clean Up Australia Day. CSU Green is calling for volunteers on its five major campuses - Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange and Wagga Wagga - to participate in the national event on Friday 4 March, the day designated for schools. Volunteers are encouraged to register their interest in the clean up on their local campus through the Clean Up Australia Day site here. “We hope to see staff and students and their family and friends turn out between 8am and 11am to pick up rubbish and conserve the local environment,” CSU Green’s Ms Nicole Hyde said. “The event will be a positive start to the commencement of on campus classes during the week. Volunteers are asked to bring along some gloves to wear and of course a hat and sunscreen.”

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic says the recent wide-spread floods in Australia demonstrate the importance of home owners understanding whether their home and contents insurance covers damage caused by flooding. Senior lecturer in law at the CSU School of Accounting, Dr Bede Harris, says, “In many parts of Australia, insurers do not offer flood insurance because the risk is too great, and even where flood insurance is offered, the premiums tend to be high. The type of risks a policy-owner is covered for depends entirely on the wording of their policy, and this can differ from insurer to insurer.” Dr Harris also emphasizes that it is important to note that insurance policies distinguish between damage caused by rising waters (flood) and falling waters (for example, rain leaking through a roof). “In those cases, coverage will depend on what the immediate cause of the damage was,” Dr Harris said.

The link between older people’s personal wellbeing and their involvement in social activities and problem-solving will be examined by a Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher in coming months. Occupational therapy lecturer with the School of Community Health, Ms Thérèse Schmid, will commence her research in February and seeks participants aged 65 to 74 years from Albury and Wodonga. “I will be documenting how participants use problem-solving in social activities, and how this affects their sense of wellbeing,” said Ms Schmid, who is looking for volunteers to take part in the research for two hours a week for 12 weeks. Volunteers may be accompanied by a friend. The research will be based at Aged Concern in Townsend Street, Albury. People wanting to participate in the research should contact Ms Schmid on 6023 3971.

Three universities in New South Wales will bring an information road show about going to university to regional schools to give senior high school students a better understanding of tertiary education. The University Road Show comprises Charles Sturt University (CSU), Southern Cross University and the University of New England. Students will get the chance to discover more about university life and potential career paths when the University Road Show visits schools in the New England, North Coast, Hunter, Central West and Blue Mountains regions during March. Now in its tenth year, the University Road Show will visit more schools than ever before, sharing information with around 5 000 students at 120 schools. CSU Prospective Student Adviser Ms Katy Fardell said, “By pooling resources, Charles Sturt University, Southern Cross University and the University of New England are able to provide excellent advice to students in one visit, maximising the study options presented to students while minimising the amount of time students need to be away from the classroom.”

People with Parkinson’s disease or rheumatoid arthritis are invited to take part in research at Charles Sturt University (CSU) to investigate the role of red blood cells in neutralising free radicals, chemicals derived from breaking down oxygen in the blood that can damage the body. CSU PhD student with the School of Community Health, Ms Di Hughes, is looking at the shape and biochemistry of red blood cells which are critical for delivering oxygen to the body. “Cell shape is affected by oxidative stress, which is the balance between free radicals and antioxidants which neutralise free radicals. We want to study the levels of antioxidants, free radicals and resulting inflammation in people with these diseases,” Ms Hughes said. “Ultimately, this research could help understand the role of oxidative stress and antioxidants in Parkinson's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.” After an initial discussion with Ms Hughes, which includes a medical questionnaire, accepted participants can attend the Health Skills ward at Thurgoona to give blood and urine samples which will be analysed for free radicals, antioxidants and the shape of red blood cells.

Coffee is a ubiquitous part of modern life, and disposable coffee cups are a growing problem in waste disposal landfills. The Gums Café at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga is leading the way in sustainability by trialling the use of biodegradable cups that take a year or less to decompose in landfill. These compare favourably to the common disposable cups that can take many years to break down due to the plastic film that lines the cups. Chair of the local Campus Environmental Committee, Dr John Rafferty, said, “Last year, we looked at how people dispose of their cups. They tend to put them in the normal garbage bins, as they have the remains of coffee in them. We would have thousands of cups going through our bins each week. We have decided to do something about it and use biodegradable cups that are much friendlier to the environment and break down much faster than the old cups.”

An Indonesian academic will discuss his research into the risks associated with transmission of avian influenza and swine fever with researchers at Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Thursday 17 February. Dr Muktasam Abdurrahman, a social scientist specialising in rural community development with Indonesia’s Mataram University, is assessing the risk of avian flu and swine fever in eastern Indonesia through the movements of poultry and pig between the islands of Bali, Lombok, Flores, Sumba and West Timor. “He will highlight social, cultural and environmental dimensions to the spread of these diseases, which have important implications for Australia’s biosecurity,” says CSU researcher and host, Dr Joanne Millar. Dr Muktasam is in Albury to present a seminar and work with Dr Millar who has also been investigating livestock movements in eastern Indonesia.

One the of the oldest public institutions in Albury, the public hospital, is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Local historian and adjunct academic with Charles Sturt University’s Institute for Land, Water and Society, Associate Professor Bruce Pennay, has gathered a collection of documents, photos, films and artefacts to commemorate the event, which will be on show at the Albury LibraryMuseum in Kiewa Street. “Many people have been involved with the Albury Hospital since it was established in 1861, either as patients, visitors, employees or fund-raisers. This is their opportunity to celebrate the hospital and its links to the Albury community,” Professor Pennay said. The Exhibition will be officially opened at 1pm on Sunday 13 March in the LibraryMuseum, and continues to Sunday 1 May.