Students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) are being urged to consider taking a step towards creating positive environmental change and embracing the sustainability sector. CSU is the first regional university to host the Green Steps program following its introduction by Monash University in 2000. It has expanded to a number of metropolitan universities and won several major awards including a Banksia Environmental Award. The Green Steps program is a nationally recognised training and internship course offered to students from a range of degrees in 2011. Inaugural Green Steps coordinator, Ms Nicole Hyde, said, “Green Steps is open to students from across Charles Sturt University. The students who are selected will benefit from 30 hours training and 12 days placement with an organisation working on environmental sustainability projects, developing useful networks. Green Steps bridges the gap between the knowledge acquired through study and the skills required in the ‘real world’ of work. Training will be offered in environmental auditing, project planning and management, and communications.”   

Aged in her mid-forties, Mrs Carol Ford-Johnson was married with four children and worked full-time. Then Mrs Ford-Johnson experienced an aneurysm which left her with total left-side paralysis, and her life changed forever. As a keynote speaker at the annual occupational therapy students’ conference at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga, Mrs Ford-Johnson will share her experience of suddenly waking up one day with a severe physical impairment and the obstacles she had to overcome. Nineteen years later, she attributes her survival and personal triumph to stubbornness in the face of adversity, mixed with a large dose of humour. Mrs Ford-Johnson will speak of her time in a rehabilitation ward in Melbourne, and of her positive and negative experiences receiving therapy from a multi-disciplinary team. She has since completed a Diploma of Welfare and worked within a multidisciplinary allied health team at the MS Society in Melbourne. The keynote address to the 2010 Occupational Therapy Student Conference will be delivered from 8.40am on Tuesday 27 October in the Nowik Theatre at CSU in Guinea St, Albury.

A group of Charles Sturt University (CSU) students has portrayed the considerable research being undertaken by the University’s Institute for Land, Water and Society in a short film being launched on Thursday 14 October. The students, who study television production with the School of Communication and Creative Industries based at CSU in Wagga Wagga, have looked at a variety of research projects such as the fishing history of the Murray River; how well Murray Cod fingerlings swim; Indigenous knowledge of inland fisheries; varying water flows from dams; and social justice in the use and administration of water in the Murray Darling Basin. Ms Juliet Cullen from the Murray Catchment Management Authority introduces the film, which is part of the Water on Tap? exhibition in the Albury Regional Art Gallery, Dean St, Albury.

An exhibition using art and science to depict water will open in Albury on Thursday 14 October. Titled Water on Tap?, the exhibition highlights 15 works by Charles Sturt University (CSU) staff as part of National Water Week. Ms Julie Montgarrett and Ms Margaret Waller from the School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU will explore water management in a collaborative photographic and textile piece, as well as digital photographs by Mr Jamie Holcombe and a computer generated flyover the Murray River. There is also a video by CSU television production students on water research being carried out by researchers from the University’s Institute for Land, Water and Society (ILWS) and display of the Murray Catchment Management Authorities 'Edward Wakool' project. The display, sponsored by ILWS, Murray Catchment Management Authority and Albury City, will be opened with a 'Meet the Artists' event at 6pm, Thursday 14 October in the Albury Regional Art Gallery, Dean St, Albury.

Staff and students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) are gearing up to participate in the national Ride to Work day  on Wednesday 13 October. Groups of at five of the University’s campuses will cycle to work. “The Ride to Work program encourages workers to feel good and have fun by commuting to work by bike and experiencing the health, financial and environmental benefits of riding,”  cyclist and Manager of CSU Green Mr William Adlong said. “We have not only regular riders who will be taking part, but also staff members who usually drive their cars to work.” CSU has participated in the Ride to Work event for at least five years. A recent follow-up survey for the national Ride to Work program shows 39 percent of first-time commuters are now riding to work at least once per month and 55 percent are riding more often than this time last year.

An academic from Iceland has joined Charles Sturt University (CSU) education experts to develop better ways of listening and responding to children’s views on preparing for and going to school. Dr Johanna Einardottir, an education researcher with the University of Iceland, is particularly interested in the ways teachers get children’s views on starting school, using methods as varied as drawing, interviews, cameras and group discussions. “I have already seen how similar children are globally in regards to what concerns them, such as moving away from family and finding new friends,” she said. However, Dr Einardottir has noted some differences. “In Nordic countries such as Iceland, children go to school when they are aged six or seven years, and most are in pre-school from two-years-old. In Iceland, the government pays 80 per cent of pre-school fees.” Since arriving in Albury two weeks ago, Dr Einardottir has already attended a conference in Adelaide and is currently preparing for a major education conference on Tuesday 12 October on children starting school.

Exposing young school students to important health and safety messages is the focus of a cooperative effort between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and West Albury Primary School at the annual Health and Safety Education Expo. Around 50 students enrolled in CSU’s early childhood education degree will present hands-on learning experiences and displays to 70 children between kindergarten and Year 2, who will practise contacting emergency services, discover the number of germs on their hands using 'magic' gel, crawl through tunnels to escape an imaginary fire and observe the sun safe message, ‘slip, slop, slap’. " The Charles Sturt University students researched their topics with the help of local community professionals and prepared interactive experiences for the young school children. The Health and Safety Education Expo emphasises the importance of giving young children support to promote their own wellbeing from a very young age," said early childhood education lecturer, Ms Angela Fenton, from the Murray School of Education at CSU in Albury-Wodonga. West Albury Public School will host the Health and Safety Education Expo between 9.30am and 11.30am on Monday 20 September.  

A team of seven physiotherapy, nursing and paramedic students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) will repeat last year’s medical assistance to mountain bike riders in the Tour de Timor race around Timor Leste. CSU physiotherapy lecturer Mr Tim Retchford will this year lead the students in their provision of medical support for the mountainous race. “Last year we treated up to 60 patients a day for everything from knee and back strains to dislocations, abrasions and fractures,” Mr Retchford said. “We dine with the competitors each morning, travel ahead of them to the finish to set up our mobile clinic, and help ‘patch them up’ at the end of leg so the riders can get back into the race the next day. Our students gain invaluable professional experience treating injured athletes as well as witnessing this amazing country and bicycle race up close. It is a fantastic experience.”  The Tour de Timor starts in the capital Dili on Monday 13 September and finishes back in Dili on Friday 17 September. The Tour de Timor is 410 km.

Four school students will make a difference to their charity of choice through a Charles Sturt University (CSU) social justice award. The Social Justice Innovation Award offered through the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSU gives teenagers a platform to write about Making a Difference. The judges included senior social work lecturer, Dr Bill Anscombe, and poet and recently-retired English lecturer, Mr David Gilbey. “Although we only advertised the competition in NSW and the ACT, we also received entries from Victoria and the Northern Territory. This highlights the fact that there are a lot of school students with writing talents keen to be involved in the project,” Dr Anscombe said. They winners of Making a Difference 2010 are Mr Kieran Hennessy from Great Lakes Tuncurry Senior High School, Mr Reid Butler from Merewether High School,  Ms Alexandra Jones from Pymble Ladies College and Ms Tara Whitsed of Corryong College.  Their nominated charities, World Vision, Red Cross, Love146 and beyondblue will each receive $250 from CSU.