“At a time of unprecedented global ecological degradation, I believe popular television has a responsibility to educate audiences about environmental issues,” says Bruce Fell, a lecturer with Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Communication. He has spent two years interviewing Australian television executives, producers, directors, scriptwriters and performers as part of PhD thesis. Bruce will present some of his findings in Melbourne at the upcoming CSU Alumni event, Tell me about the environment. “My work looked at who are the most influential people in television when it comes to communicating with the audience. I discovered that the stars of soap opera and drama had the most influence. Fans mimic the stars purchasing habits, fashion, language, and indeed what the stars strive for in life. In a way, the TV stars are part of our new religion, they are the people we admire and worship — they lead, we follow.”

Albury’s teaching community will celebrate ten years of student research and dedication at the 2006 ECON conference, hosted by final year early childhood education students with Charles Sturt University’s Murray School of Education on Friday 3 November. The annual educational conference, for primary school teachers, early childhood educators and interested parents in the Border region, will address such questions as: Is childhood becoming extinct? Who's watching their weight? Is homework of value in primary school? and What are the challenges for beginning teachers? Guest speakers as this 10th anniversary meeting include former ABC TV Play School presenter Benita Collings and early childhood education experts Sue Dockett and Susan Groundwater-Smith. The conference, to be held between 11am and 3.30pm, will cost $12 on the day and includes a barbeque lunch and afternoon tea. It will be staged in the Cliff Blake Theatres on CSU Albury-Wodonga Campus, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona.

The dream of a person with communication impairment has lead to a community project to improve assistance for this group by Border businesses. A group of Charles Sturt University (CSU) students are helping client tutor Margaret Bashford to develop a booklet for Border businesses so they are better prepared to work with people with communication impairments. The third year speech pathology students at CSU have already surveyed some pharmacists, banks and doctors' surgeries to assess their awareness of people with communication impairments, with some organisations requesting further training and advice in this area. The students are now seeking comments from people with communication impairments to rate Albury health, education and business organisation on the service and consideration they receive. “Something as simple as an individualised business communication book, which includes product pictures and prices, can improve service and make shopping a lot easier for people with a communication disability," said CSU student Jennifer Robinson. The survey results will be used to help develop a book or training program to help fulfil Margaret’s dream and help businesses better assist people with communication impairment.

Stunning images of the plants and animals of Central America, selected from the extensive collection of a Charles Sturt University academic, are now on show in Albury until February. Associate Professor David Watson is an ecologist with a passion for the world’s forests who has travelled extensively through Central America to study the plants and animals of tropical rainforests. Hosted by the University’s Institute of Land, Water and Society and Albury City, the exhibition features 20 pictures from David's collection, as well as limited release prints of these images, with proceeds used to fund further environmental research. The Studies of the Forest exhibition is being held in the Albury Library Museum, Kiewa St, Albury until Sunday 24 February. Professor Watson is currently working on the importance of mistletoe as an indicator of the health of Australian native forests.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) have extended condolences to the Drayton family over the tragic death of Mr Trevor Drayton who was killed in an explosion at the Drayton Family Winery at Pokolbin in the NSW Hunter Valley on Thursday 17 January 2008. Professor Thomas Henick-Kling, Director, National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, says Mr Drayton was a highly respected leader of the Australian wine industry who will be sadly missed by all who knew and worked with him. His knowledge and experience was a wonderful resource for the national wine industry. Mr Drayton contributed to the research activities of the NWGIC and his input will be missed but not forgotten. CSU and the NWGIC also expresses condolences to the family of a second man, Mr Edgar Orgo, also killed in the tragic incident, and hopes for a full and speedy recovery of Mr William Rikard-Bell, a graduate of CSU in 2006 with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Wine Science), who was injured in the conflagration.

The Institute of Land, Water and Society (ILWS)  at Charles Sturt University (CSU) is a sponsor of the ‘Slopes to Summit’ Farm and Environmental Open Day on Sunday 23 May at Woomargama in southern NSW. Organised by the Nature Conservation Trust of NSW and Holbrook Landcare, the day will celebrate the International Day of Biodiversity with a range of free talks, tours and activities for landowners, families and people interested in their environment. ILWS member Dr Andrea Crampton from the School of Biomedical Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga will have a display and information stand on ‘Rural Drinking Water: Risks, practices and prevention’ while ILWS Associate Professor David Watson from the School of Environmental Sciences at CSU in Albury-Wodonga will talk about mistletoe and lead a tour of the restoration trials at a Woomargama property. Dean of the Faculty of Science at CSU, Professor Nick Klomp will talk on ‘Quirky science; be amused not alarmed’ and PhD student Mr Ian Cole will talk on ‘Getting to know native grasses.’

The 'Write Around the Murray' Writers Festival that begins in Albury this week will include a large presence from Charles Sturt University (CSU) in one of the Festival’s most popular community events. Ms Jenni Munday from the University’s Murray School of Education based in Albury is coordinating two Literary Pub Crawls through Albury, while several colleagues will present local and Australian writing to an audience moving between indoor and outdoor locations around central Albury.  Mr John Rafferty, a lecturer in science education, will present some wry and witty poetry to perform at the ‘pub location’ in this year’s event. Finalists in the Rotary Poetry competition will also present their works. "It's wonderful to have young poets reading their own work - it gives their work more of an airing", says local writer, Dotty Simmons, whose writing is also featured in two stages of the walk. The first of the two 'pub crawls' will start at 6pm on Thursday 6 August, leaving from the Albury Library Museum in Kiewa St. The second ‘crawl’ will leave from the Zed Bar in Dean Street at 6pm on Sunday 9 August. Prospective audience members are asked to arrive early.

John Glastonbury, Associate Professor in Diagnostic Pathology with Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Wagga Wagga, is available for comment on emergency management of the swine influenza in animals. Professor Glastonbury’s teaching and research interests include diseases of pigs, and he can describe how the disease behaves in pigs, a history of other outbreaks and its threat to people. A public seminar will be held on the influenza A (H1N1) at CSU at Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 6 May. Read more here.

While influenza A (H1N1), formerly known as swine flu, has not yet been found in Australia, authorities are urging the public to take precautions against infection. Charles Sturt University (CSU) is holding a public seminar on Wednesday 6 May to provide facts and dispel the myths about the pandemic which is unfolding around the global. Associate Professor in Veterinary Pathobiology at CSU, Shane Raidal, said all new influenza viruses are a threat but the mechanisms put in place by the World Health Organisation provide a means for early detection and intervention. He will address the Reassortment amongst and evolution of influenza viruses at the seminar. Associate Professor in Diagnostic Pathology John Glastonbury, will discuss The pathogenesis and pathology of the disease in pigs and humans. Professor Glastonbury’s teaching and research interests include the diseases of pigs. The third speaker, Dr Ross Cutler, holds an adjunct appointment at CSU and is a veterinarian who specialises in pigs. He will speak about Epidemiology, biosecurity and international issues relating to the influenza.