The Remote Telescope at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Bathurst has a full calendar of observation events plotted for the UNESCO 2009 International Year of Astronomy, which celebrates 400 years since Galileo first turned a telescope to view the night sky. The initiator and administrator of the CSU telescope, Associate Professor David McKinnon at the CSU School of Teacher Education says that images of the southern night sky through the telescope can be seen via the Internet, weather permitting, around themes that depend on which celestial objects are visible at that time. “The observation calendar centres on special events such as the particular phases of the Moon and planets, as well as requests that are lodged via the Remote Telescope website,” Professor McKinnon said. “This year is a wonderful opportunity for school students and anyone interested in astronomy to access the telescope and website to see planets and other objects as they may never have seen them before.”

A leading Australian theologian and academic at Charles Sturt University (CSU) has been awarded an honorary doctorate by another national university. Reverend Professor James Haire, AM, KSJ, who is Professor of Theology at CSU and executive director of the CSU Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture (ACC&C) , received the Doctor of the University from the Australian Catholic University in Sydney at its recent graduation ceremony. The citation for the honorary degree noted that Reverend Professor Haire is one of the world’s leading scholars and promoters of interfaith dialogue. It concludes, ‘Australia is indebted to James for his work in encouraging understanding between not only the Christian churches, but between people of different faiths’. Reverend Professor Haire also delivered the occasional address to graduates, and spoke of the need for them to be compassionate and generous in their personal and professional lives. “My experience is that, on balance, unless there is obvious evil, it is worth taking the risk to be generous. If you are generous, you give and you expect trust, and it is trust that is both the Christian way, and in any case makes life worth living,” he said.

With children counting down the days until Easter, Charles Sturt University (CSU) Dental and Oral Health Clinic  dentist Dr Ying Shi Chang asks parents to remember the importance of children’s teeth. “Everyone loves indulging in some chocolate at Easter time,” says Dr Chang, “but it’s also a good time to book in a dental check-up for the family.” Dr Chang recommends parents make the most of the CSU Dental and Oral Health Clinic. “The Clinic is large, colourful and friendly so it’s perfect for young children. As well as professional dentists, third year Bachelor of Dental Science students are available to clean children’s teeth and teach the importance of regular brushing and flossing.” To book an appointment at the CSU Dental and Oral Health Clinic call 1300 278 642.

A controversial figure in the Australian legal sector will speak on ‘Public education and the third great principle of secularism’ in the 2011 Bob Meyenn Lecture next week at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga. The former Australian High Court judge, the Honourable Michael Kirby, AC, CMG, will appeal for the traditional place of secularism in Australian public schools, and the protection it offers children who have no religion as well as those who are members of a religion. This year’s Bob Meyenn Lecture will commence at 7pm on Thursday 28 April in the CD Blake Lecture Theatre, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona. The annual major public lecture is named after Professor Bob Meyenn, the former inaugural Dean of CSU’s Faculty of Education.

A philosophical play written and directed by two Charles Sturt University (CSU) acdemics will have a second performance on Thursday 28 April due to popular demand as part of the current Greek Festival in Sydney. The play, Wise After the Fact, is by Dr Edward Spence, and is directed by Mr Ray Harding, both lecturers at the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst. “Wise After the Fact examines the origins and development of Wisdom in ancient Greece, and juxtaposes this with the dilemmas confronting individuals and society in the present Age of Information,” Dr Spence said. “I also discuss philosophy with the audience, and the first performance (on 14 April) was so successful the festival organisers invited us to return.”

The Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Communication and Creative Industries will co-host, with the Centre for Media History, a two-day interdisciplinary symposium in Bathurst on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 May to mark the centenary of the ‘bible of the bush’ in NSW, The Land newspaper. Ms Margaret Van Heekeren, lecturer in journalism at the School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst, said the symposium, titled The Land: Past, Present and Future, will bring together media scholars to reflect on how the media sees rural and regional Australia. “The idea for the symposium was sparked by The Land anniversary but the symposium is really a broader look at how rural and regional areas have been represented in media, and how they interact with media. We have presentations covering newspapers as well as radio and film,” Ms Van Heekeren said. Academics from several universities will present papers on a range of topics related to The Land newspaper, and the general media coverage of issues affecting rural Australia in the last 100 years.

Fresh from his presentation at a conference in the United Kingdom, the Manager of Residential Operations at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga and Wagga Wagga, Mr Peter Bell will discuss an innovative youth educational program at a public lecture in Narrandera on Wednesday 18 May. At the Association for Student Residential Accommodation conference in Edinburgh in early April, Mr Bell delivered a presentation on the program, Putting Youth in the Picture. He discussed how CSU is rolling out the program across its regions after securing the first NSW licence in 2010. Designed to assist local communities in dealing with confronting issues for young people, Putting Youth in the Picture has already been implemented in the University’s Halls of Residences. “This program is about empowering local communities through their local councils, school or sporting groups to use the program’s resources to hopefully prevent their young people from getting into difficulties,” Mr Bell said.

While most spend their holidays relaxing, a group of Charles Sturt University (CSU) students has been learning how to generate positive environmental change. Six CSU students are taking part in the Green Steps  training and internship program. The program aims to bridge the gap between study and work, by equipping young leaders with the skills, knowledge and confidence to tackle sustainability issues. CSU environmental science and management student Ms Karina Maloney took part in the training program held in Wagga Wagga from Monday 4 to Friday 8 April. “I wanted to broaden my understanding of environmental issues and gain practical skills to take into the workplace,” she said. The training will be put into practice during internships between April and October. During this period students will work with an organisation to reduce its environmental footprint. CSU is the first regional university to host the Green Steps program following its introduction by Monash University in 2000.

The nationally recognised Science in the Bush program coordinated by the Australian Museum will be hosted by Charles Sturt University (CSU) this week in Albury. During the two-day event, CSU staff will run three hands-on workshops on such topics as wetland bugs, funky feet and Darwin’s worms. “Science in the Bush recognises that in Australia we must do more to interest kids in science”, CSU's Dean of Science, Professor Nick Klomp said. “We want them to feel the excitement of science and discovery so we can produce our fair share of scientists in inland Australia.” High school students from the Border will attend the event at the University's Thurgoona site, starting at 9.30am on Tuesday 5 April, while primary school students will visit CSU on Wednesday 6 April.