Past graduates of Charles Sturt University (CSU) who live in Albury, Wodonga and surrounding areas are invited to an informal gathering in Albury on Monday evening 14 May. Alumni of all ages and backgrounds can attend a cocktail evening to catch up with friends and possibly make new contacts, while also hearing from three accomplished CSU alumni and staff: Assistant Commissioner at the Australian Tax Office, Ms Debra Unsworth; current Deputy Chancellor of Charles Sturt University and former senior manager with NSW TAFE, Ms Kathryn Pitkin; and, CSU psychology lecturer, researcher and avowed sceptic, Dr Krissy Wilson. The event will start at 6pm at The Bended Elbow, 480 Dean Street, Albury, with finger food and drinks provided. People intending to attend can register with CSU Alumni, and follow the Events links.

At first glance mistletoe might seem to be a destructive weed but Charles Sturt University (CSU) ecologist Associate Professor David Watson will explore the role the parasitic plant plays in promoting biodiversity at a seminar in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 2 May. The National Wine and Grape Industry Centre at CSU in Wagga Wagga will host the seminar titled, Parasitic plants as drivers of ecological communities: patterns, predictions, processes. In his presentation, Professor Watson will pull together a decade of research on mistletoe ecology in southern Australia. “The word parasite has nasty connotations to it but rather than being negative or even neutral, in natural systems parasitic plants may be disproportionately important to biodiversity,” he said. “This may provide land managers with a new tool to boost the value of remnant habitats for wildlife and maximise ecosystem functionality in modified landscapes.”

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher has been appointed to a new position to help her colleagues tackle the world of electronic research. Ms Penny Cooke is the University’s new eResearch Analyst for Intersect,  the peak body in NSW to coordinate expertise in electronic Research for NSW universities and public and private sector research agencies. In the increasingly globalised world of research, Intersect aims to increase the quality, efficiency and visibility of NSW based research. CSU joined Intersect in early 2012. Director of Research at CSU, Associate Professor Andrea Bishop said, "Charles Sturt University is keen to deepen its relationship with Intersect, particularly to pursue larger collaborative projects that address the needs of rural and regional researchers. As our eResearch Analyst, Penny is now the primary link between Charles Sturt University and Intersect.” Ms Cooke’s role includes advice and support for CSU researchers using eResearch; access to Intersect services; and access to and advocacy in the various national eResearch bodies.

Addressing the on-going shortage of professional accountants in regional Australia is the goal of a collaborative project based on the Border involving Charles Sturt University (CSU), Albury Wodonga Careers Advisors Association, the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (ICAA), the Murray Industry and Community Education Employment Partnership and the North East Local Learning and Employment Network. Dean of CSU’s Faculty of Business, Professor Lesley White will officially launch a structured high school work experience program for budding accounting students titled Reaping what we sow. The project was developed as part of ICAA-funded research by CSU academics Mr Daniel Murphy and Dr Dianne McGrath, based on the Albury-Wodonga Campus. “The project allows local Year 10 and 11 students to get work experience at accounting firms to understand what the job really involves, and the range and diversity of careers open to accounting graduates,” Mr Murphy said. Supply Finance Manager, Australia New Zealand with Mars Petcare, Mr Nathan Quinlivan, a CSU accounting graduate, will be guest speaker at the event on behalf of ICAA. The launch will start at 12.30pm on Thursday 10 May at La Maison Café, Wodonga.

Charles Sturt University’s new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Vann, will officially open an interpretive walk around Australia’s first environmentally friendly university campus this week in Albury.  “The Albury-Wodonga Campus is a developing, dynamic model of how communities can address environmental concerns and create sustainable environments,” Professor Vann said. Among the features of the campus are rammed earth buildings, ‘natural’ air conditioning, composting toilets, and an award winning, six green star energy rated building. “Hundreds of people visit the campus each year to learn about these features and we have responded by putting up signs that help explain these sustainable design principles,” he said. The opening and initial walk will commence at 2.45pm on Wednesday 9 May in the Gums Café, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona.

Murray Children’s Centre shares the new purpose-built early childhood building at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga with Aspire Support Services, formerly Woodstock Early Intervention. Dr Sydnye Allen, Murray Children’s Centre director, and Ms Rachael Webb, early intervention manager at Aspire, work collaboratively to provide professional and practical support to CSU and Aspire. “Families of young children benefit from having convenient access to high-quality early childhood education and early intervention specialists located in one building,” Dr Allen said. CSU early childhood education students participate in placements with Murray Children’s Centre and Aspire, with three education students currently working in the infant and toddler classrooms. “For many Charles Sturt University students, this may be their first opportunity to work with children with learning difficulties,” Ms Webb said. Dr Allen and Ms Webb are also engaged in a research project on transitions in early childhood environments, with Dr Laura Piazza from CSU’s School of Education and pre-school teacher and Murray Children’s Centre assistant director, Ms Michelle Smith.

Budding nurses from Charles Sturt University (CSU) have returned to school to lend a helping hand with health education at an Albury primary school. Seven first year nursing students are developing and delivering messages on healthy living over winter for pupils and teachers at St Anne’s Primary School in North Albury. “The students also carried out a health and safety audit of the school and developed newsletter items for parents, reinforcing what their children have learned in the classroom,” said project coordinator and CSU nursing academic, Ms Sharon Laver. “The school project also helps our students develop skills in leadership, negotiation, collaboration, health education and research while working with teachers and children in the real world.” Later this week, the CSU students will present their work to pupils and teachers at St Anne’s.

Parents of children aged three and under can be part of an expo of resources this week in Lavington aimed at supporting parents and carers of babies and toddlers through their early lives. Presented by Charles Sturt University (CSU) students in the final year of their early childhood and primary education degree, the one-day event, titled the Early Years Parent Information Expo, aims to be fun and interactive for children and parents, full of information to take home. Topics on show for mothers, fathers, grandparents, carers, professional teachers, children and siblings include early literacy, learning through play, sleep issues, toilet training, feeding and separation issues. Event coordinator and education lecturer with the CSU School of Education, Dr Laura Piazza, said the event, “is a great opportunity for families to draw on the expertise of our pre-service teachers and ask questions about ways to best support children’s learning in the early years”. The expo will be held on Wednesday 23 May, from 9.30 to 11am in Mirambeena Community Centre in Lavington.

Are you passionate about our local native animals and wonder how scientists research and monitor our wildlife? Border residents can take part in monitoring our local endangered animals in the upcoming Thurgoona Bioblitz 2012, a community wildlife event to be held on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 May in and around Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga. These free events will involve wildlife surveys to be conducted around Thurgoona, including spotlighting nest boxes for Squirrel Gliders, trapping bats and small animals, bird watching, identifying frog calls, and searching for lizards. The surveys will be led by expert ecologists from CSU and other organisations, and the collected data will be added to the Atlas of Living Australia, an online national database of Australia’s flora and fauna. Organised by the Slopes2Summit partnership, which includes CSU, and the Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group, the Friday event will be for school students, while events scheduled for Friday evening and Saturday will involve the wider community. Slopes2Summit facilitator Mr Sam Niedra said the Bioblitz allows schools and the general community to experience and learn about Thurgoona’s rich diversity of animal species, while collecting records “to improve our knowledge of what’s happening in the Thurgoona landscape, and be better informed about how these animals can be conserved into the future”.