Starting in Bathurst on Thursday 29 March, the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Division of Learning and Teaching Services will hold forums on a number of its campuses for academics to discuss developments in online and mobile learning and teaching at the University. Forums facilitator, Associate Professor Philip Uys, the Director of Strategic Learning and Teaching Innovation in the CSU Division of Learning and Teaching Services, said, “The continued evolution of quality in learning and teaching at Charles Sturt University, and the growing expectations of our students for appropriate technology responses, requires the University’s staff to skilfully use an ever-growing set of internal and external educational technologies. Charles Sturt University is increasing its digital, mobile and paperless learning and teaching, which pose challenges for strategists of these new technologies, and for academics using them. It will be good to share information about education technology developments at the University and have some in-depth conversations about why these changes are occurring. We will explore what the learning and teaching potential of the respective educational technologies is, and what issues we are facing.”

The centre of Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga will be abuzz on Wednesday 21 March when the CSU community celebrates national Harmony Day. Commencing at 12 noon, international students and staff will have stalls, displays and demonstrations highlighting the cultures, unique skills and food that they bring to Australia. Food stalls will ring the main circle near the Gums Café, while a martial arts display by students from South Korea will be staged in the same area. The event is part of Harmony Day celebrations across Australia on 21 March. Members of the Albury-Wodonga and CSU coummunities are welcome to attend the event.

The academic successes of current environmental and health students from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Faculty of Science will be celebrated on Thursday 22 March at CSU in Albury-Wodonga. The Dean of Science, Professor Nick Klomp, will present awards and prizes for academic excellence, including the prestigious DA Johnstone Perpetual Award for the top environmental sciences student. “Stopping to recognise and celebrate academic excellence is an important part of the University’s commitment in the pursuit of excellence,” said Professor Klomp. Current and graduating undergraduate and postgraduate students will receive prizes from local and international companies and organisations as well as Dean’s awards from 2pm in the Gum’s Café at Thurgoona.

Science at Charles Sturt University (CSU) and its innovations in teaching and research will be on show to the Border community on Thursday 22 March in a presentation by and the Dean of CSU’s Faculty of Science, Professor Nick Klomp, who is also a renowned science broadcaster. “The Faculty of Science is one of the largest and most diverse science faculties in Australasia, with around 9 000 students and hundreds of staff in seven schools across six campuses. We teach and conduct research in a variety of science and health disciplines from veterinary science to dentistry, nursing to environmental studies, forensic biotechnology to wine science, agriculture to allied health. I will also speak about CSU’s bid for a medical school,” Professor Klomp said. Teachers, students, industry representatives, and the general public will receive information about courses leading to science careers, current and future research collaborations, and professional training in the University’s multi-million dollar research and training facilities and clinics, some of which are located in Albury-Wodonga.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) has developed degrees and extensive facilities to promote the importance of preschool education, and its new Murray Children’s Centre at CSU in Albury-Wodonga is an important step in expanding on the University’s commitment to early childhood education. The centre director, Dr Sydnye Allen, said the facility is dedicated to supporting and demonstrating best practice for preschool children and their families. “We provide spaces throughout the building to encourage families to be part of their children’s education, which includes shared meal spaces and a private room for feeding young children,” Dr Allen said. “Our well-qualified preschool staff include early childhood education graduates from CSU’s School of Education which is also located on the campus.” Places are now available at the CSU Murray Children’s Centre.

Leading speech pathologist Mrs Mary-Ruth Mendel, the 2012 NSW Australia Day Ambassador, will be the special guest at a lunch organised by the Charles Sturt University (CSU) speech pathology program in Albury-Wodonga on Wednesday 25 January. Ms Libby Clark, the organiser of the lunch and lecturer in the speech pathology program within the School of Community Health at CSU in Albury-Wodonga, said this was a wonderful opportunity for speech pathologists and early childhood educators in the region to meet and hear a leader in the field. “Mrs Mendel is a distinguished speech pathologist, specialising in literacy and language learning issues. While she has an international client base for her private practice in Sydney, she has also shown, through the development of a range of programs, a real commitment to supporting literacy in indigenous languages.” Ms Clark said. “She has many achievements and we are delighted that she has made time to visit Charles Sturt University in Albury-Wodonga before officiating at Australia Day activities on Thursday. This will be a wonderful opportunity to discuss potential links between the work that Mrs Mendel has been doing and the projects related to indigenous language and literacy that are being carried out by Charles Sturt University speech pathology students and staff in Condobolin and Wagga Wagga.”

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.

Born in Kenya and educated in the United Kingdom, the first dentist to manage the new dental clinic on Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Albury-Wodonga Campus, Mr Jai Rawal, brings an international touch to dental education at CSU. Mr Rawal received his initial qualification from Guy’s Dental Hospital in London, UK, in 2002, and has continued postgraduate studies since then, particularly in dental implants. “I believe strongly that dental professionals need to continue their education after they first graduate. Dental technology is changing rapidly, particularly in the areas of implants and laser surgery, so an institution such as Charles Sturt University has an important role in further professional development, particularly in regional areas,” said Mr Rawal, who has been joined by his wife Pooja in Albury. Mr Rawal is also a keen sportman. “I can’t wait to unpack my cricket, golf, camera and diving gear,” he said. CSU’s dental clinic based at Thurgoona, which will help educate CSU students undertaking degrees in dentistry and oral therapy, will take appointments before the end of this year. Mr Rawal will also run a private practice in conjunction with the CSU clinic.

Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are known to affect our daily lives in many ways, but little study has been carried out on their effects on the brain. With assistance from Border residents, Charles Sturt University (CSU) researchers led by Dr Herbert Jelinek from the School of Community Health will investigate how our thinking changes if we contract diabetes and its complications, such as cardiovascular disease. “We invite members of the Albury-Wodonga community, with and without diabetes or heart disease, to participate in our project, which will start mid-July,” Dr Jelinek said. “We will be testing all participants for eye, heart, foot and kidney function as well as undertaking a number of tests to investigate brain function.” Anyone interested in participating should contact Dr Herbert Jelinek, coordinator of the CSU Diabetes Complications Research Initiative, on mobile 0427 681 754.