New writer-in-residence at Booranga Writers’ Centre

* Award winning author for Booranga Writers’ Centre residency

* Will present a free public lecture, and a writing workshop in Wagga Wagga

Award-winning author Ms Ellen van Neerven (pictured) has been announced as the third writer-in-residence at Booranga Writers’ Centre in Wagga Wagga in 2018.

Vice President of Booranga Writers’ Centre and senior lecturer in English in the CSU School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Wagga Wagga Dr Lachlan Brown said Ms van Neerven will be in-residence from Sunday 8 until Saturday 14 July.

“During her residency Ms van Neerven will deliver the ASAL Patrons Lecture at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery on Friday 13 July, as well as conduct a writing workshop at Booranga on Saturday 14 July,” Dr Brown said.

“Ellen is a writer of Mununjali Yugambeh and Dutch heritage whose first book, Heat and Light (UQP, 2014), was the recipient of the David Unaipon Award, the Dobbie Literary Award and the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Indigenous Writers Prize.

“Heat and Light was also shortlisted for The Stella Prize, the Queensland Literary Award for State Significance, and the Readings Prize. Ellen was named as a Sydney Morning Herald‘s Best Young Australian Novelist in 2015.

“Ellen’s second book, a collection of poetry, Comfort Food (UQP, 2016) was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Kenneth Slessor Prize and Highly Commended for the 2016 Wesley Michel Wright Prize.”

Dr Brown said that until 2016 Ellen was the managing editor of black&write! Indigenous Writing and Editing Project at State Library of Queensland. She received the 2017 Queensland Writers Centre Johnno Award and the 2015 Express Media Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Young Person in Literary Arts. She currently lives and works in Melbourne.

The ASAL Patrons Lectures are hosted by ASAL with funding from the Copyright Agency,” Dr Brown said. “These lectures support emerging and distinguished Australian writers to travel to locations around Australia to present a public talk or lecture on a topic of his or her choosing for a broader public.

“By bringing Australian writers into a wide range of communities, Patrons Lectures aim to stimulate broad interest in Australian writing and facilitate deeper understanding between writers, the academy, secondary teachers and the reading public.”

Find more information about Ms van Neerven here: https://ellenvanneervencurrie.wordpress.com/

The ASAL Patrons Lecture is from 6pm to 8pm on Friday 13 July at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, Fitzmaurice Street, Wagga Wagga. While the public lecture is free, bookings are essential as seating is limited: RSVP

The Writing Workshop by Ms van Neerven is from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday 14 July at the Booranga Writers’ Centre, Mambarra Drive, Wagga Wagga. The workshop is free for members, a $10 donation is requested from non-members: RSVP

For more information contact Booranga Writers’ Centre Vice President, Dr Lachlan Brown, labrown@csu.edu.au or Booranga Creative Director, Kathryn Halliwell, director@booranga.com

MyDay in Wagga Wagga showcases CSU courses to future students

• * 320 high school students expected for MyDay at CSU in Wagga Wagga on Friday 6 July
• * Free MyDay event is a great start to preparation for university

Senior high school students from across NSW and Victoria will attend a MyDay at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Friday 6 July to explore a range of courses and future study options.

CSU prospective student adviser Mr Andrew Connell said, “With around 350 students currently registered, we can expect about 320 students plus their parents to attend the MyDay.

“Students who have registered come from NSW and Victorian high schools, from as far as Melbourne and Sydney, as well as local schools across Wagga Wagga.

“The students who attend MyDay can learn about the courses we offer at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga as well as general information about university and study. This free event is a great start to university preparation.

“Parents are also welcome to attend most sessions to learn more about courses and study at Charles Sturt University.”

Courses to be explored by the students include accounting and business, agriculture, teaching and education, animal and veterinary sciences,  oral health, medical imaging, medical science, nursing, agricultural and wine sciences, communication and creative industries, psychology and social work.

MyDay showcases CSU courses to future students

* 60 high school students expected for MyDay at CSU in Dubbo on Thursday 5 July

* Free MyDay event is a great start to preparation for university

Senior high school students from across NSW will attend a MyDay at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo on Thursday 5 July to explore a range of courses and future study options.

CSU prospective student adviser Ms Hilary Matchett said, “With around 54 students currently registered, we can expect about 60 students plus parents to attend the MyDay.

“The students who have registered come from a very broad area as well as our own region, from a range of schools from Forbes and Parkes, to Wellington and Coonamble.

“The students who attend MyDay can learn about the courses we offer at Charles Sturt University as well as general information about university and study. This free event is a great start to university preparation.

“Parents are also welcome to attend most sessions to learn more about courses and study at Charles Sturt University.”

Courses to be explored by the students include nursing, social work, and teaching and education.

CSU Faculty of Science research symposium in Wagga Wagga

* Annual CSU Faculty of Science symposium in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 June showcases variety and breadth of its research

* More than 50 research presentations at symposium

* Faculty’s new post-doctoral Fellows to present their research findings

Charles Sturt University (CSU) higher degree by research (HDR) and Honours students will deliver more than 50 presentations on their research topics at the annual Faculty of Science Symposium and Dinner in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 June.

Sub Dean (Graduate Studies) in the CSU Faculty of Science Associate Professor Sandra Savocchia said the packed schedule will also include special presentations by three of the new Faculty post-doctoral Fellows who will report on the latest outcomes from their research.

“The annual symposium gives HDR and Honours students in the Faculty of Science the opportunity to present their research to fellow students and staff at the University and to share their research ideas,” said Professor Savocchia who is based at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre at CSU.

“This annual event showcases the extraordinary variety and breadth of research in the Faculty and is a great way to support students through their research and for students to network, especially those who study remotely.

“The students also have the opportunity to attend a professional development workshop on ‘building emotional resilience’ presented by Ms Kylie Bell.”

The guest speaker at the symposium dinner on Thursday night is Faculty of Science post-doctoral Fellow Dr Adam Frew who is building his research portfolio by investigating the ecology of silicon in soil-plant-insect interactions in order to answer questions about the natural world. Dr Frew will speak to the audience about his journey from Scotland to gaining his current position at CSU.

Post-doctoral Fellow Dr Sarah Verdon will speak to the students about the two foci of her research, Supporting the speech, language and communication development of culturally and linguistically diverse children, and Developing a culturally responsive health workforce.

Another Fellow to speak, Dr James Turner, studies how animals must balance energy intake with energy expenditure to survive, reproduce, and maintain healthy populations. To better understand the mechanisms enabling these responses, he studied the thermal biology of cryptic Australian marsupials, North American bat disease ecology, and urban wildlife adaptation in Europe using a combination of field and laboratory techniques.

Post-doctoral Fellow Dr Joanna Gambetta will describe how geographical origin affects the berry chemical composition and quality grade of Chardonnay grapes.

Some of the more than 50 research topics explored by the students include:

* An exploration of a tailored cardiovascular exercise and education program for Aboriginal men in a regional centre (Brett Biles)

* An examination of women in leadership positions in sport: A case study of Australian Rules Football (Kelsey Richards)

* Verification of the production system of origin of grass and grain fed beef (Bridgette Logan)

* Phenolic extracts of Mentha and their role in controlling Alzheimers disease (Doaa Hanafy)

* What is the effect of scale in hydraulic modelling for the in-stream river flow? (Inam Ahmed)

* An exploration of Greek migrant experiences and later life emotional wellbeing: A qualitative study (Georgia Tziros)

* Digesting and understanding Australian rice after heat processing (Michelle Toutounji)

* The storied self in tourism spaces: Using a qualitative narrative methodology as a framework for understanding self-identity in Niseko, Japan (Kim Nelson)

* Factors influencing maternal health outcomes: A mixed method study in rural northern Ghana (Joshua Sumankuuro)

* Effect of continuous or sprint interval exercise training on prognostic cardiovascular health measures in sedentary obese middle-aged men (Blake Collins)

* Environmental water recovery in the Murray-Darling Basin (Michael Vanderzee)

Special graduation for International students who can’t stay for graduation

* Due to immigration and visa rules four CSU International students are not permitted to attend their official Graduation.

* To celebrate their hard work and achievements, CSU is holding a special graduation.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is committed to giving its students the best experience possible, even when they can’t stay for their graduation.

Four Australia Award Students will complete their studies at the end of session one, this year. However, due to immigration and visa rules the students are not permitted to attend the official graduation at the end of the year.

Office for Students, Liaison Officer (International) Mrs Jacquie Blomfield, said “We want to celebrate their achievements by holding the special graduation photos.”

The Wagga Wagga community is invited to come along and help celebrate the achievements of the International students at the Wagga Wagga campus.

‘We are pleased to be able to support and celebrate the success of our international students.’

“Charles Sturt University is dedicated to supporting its International students from pre-departure right through to graduation. This supports and assists the students to successfully achieve their academic success.” Mrs Blomfield concluded.

* Event details

Date: Wednesday 27 June  

Time: 10:30am to 12pm

Location: Joyes Hall CSU Wagga Wagga.

MyDay showcases CSU courses to future students

• * 180 high school students expected for MyDay at CSU in Albury-Wodonga on Wednesday 27 June
• * Free MyDay event is a great start to preparation for university

Senior high school students from across NSW will attend a MyDay at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga on Wednesday 27 June to explore a range of courses and future study options.

CSU prospective student adviser Ms Katie Trebley said, “With around 150 students currently registered, we can expect about 180 students plus parents to attend the MyDay.

“Students who have registered come from NSW and Victorian high schools, from as far as Bendigo and Echuca to Dubbo, as well as local schools across Albury-Wodonga.

“The students who attend MyDay can learn about the courses we offer at Charles Sturt University in Albury-Wodonga as well as general information about university and study. This free event is a great start to university preparation.

“Parents are also welcome to attend most sessions to learn more about courses and study at Charles Sturt University.”

Courses to be explored by the students include accounting and business, environmental science and outdoor recreation, podiatry, occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy, gerontology, leisure and health, and teaching and education.

‘How do successful entrepreneurs operate?’ - CSU free talk

* Leading entrepreneurship educator to speak at CSU in Bathurst

* Dynamic speaker re the importance of entrepreneurship in economic development

A leading entrepreneurship academic from Finland will deliver an ‘in conversation’ presentation at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Thursday 28 June.

Professor of Entrepreneurship at CSU and academic lead on the CenWest Innovate Next Stage Growth Program, Professor Morgan Miles, said the free presentation by Professor Peter Kelly will examine the question ‘How do successful entrepreneurs operate?’

Professor Kelly is Professor of Practice, High-growth Entrepreneurship (pictured left), at Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland, and will share his insight of how high performing entrepreneurs operate for success.

“I first met Peter in Stockholm over 15 years ago,” Professor Miles said. “He was the most dynamic speaker I had ever heard on the topic of the importance of entrepreneurship in economic development, and since then he has only become better.

“He has been based in Finland since 1998, and has been the driving force behind entrepreneurship education at the Helsinki School of Creative Entrepreneurship at Aalto University, an initiative that involved all the Schools and the largest private donor to Aalto University.

“Before becoming Finland’s first Professor of Practice in High Growth Entrepreneurship, Professor Kelly spent a year as Professor of Practice at the School of Art and Design where he developed a rapid opportunity prototyping course to explore the intersection between the disciplines of design and entrepreneurship.”

Professor Miles (pictured left) said the CSU School of Management and Marketing, CenWest Innovate, and the Sydney School of Entrepreneurship have cooperated to make this event possible.

“We are grateful that our partnership with Sydney School of Entrepreneurship has resulted in significant learning and teaching events such as this,” Professor Miles said. “Peter will make two presentations on 28 June, one to faculty at the University who are interested in research and teaching entrepreneurship, and a second to the public as a CenWest Innovate public event.”

The ‘in conversation’ public presentation by Professor Kelly is from 6pm to 7pm on Thursday 28 June at CSU Engineering (building 1305), Village Drive, CSU in Bathurst.

To attend this free event please register for catering purposes: https://www.facebook.com/events/172871420054430/

Learn more about Professor Peter Kelly here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDrNI_IgzVc

Refurbished CSU Riverina Playhouse set to reopen

* CSU Riverina Playhouse refurbishment nears completion and will reopen soon

* $3 million upgrade to seating, lighting, access, and amenities

* Environmental sustainability features include energy efficient lighting and water-saving fittings

Much needed refurbishments to the Riverina Playhouse at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will soon be completed and the well-known Wagga Wagga cultural facility will be reopened in July.

Director of the CSU Division of Facilities Management, Mr Stephen Butt, said the temporary closure of the Playhouse in October 2017 was a necessary inconvenience but the end results are worth it.

Mr Butt said, “While the closure caused some disruption for staff, students and those community groups who make use of the facility, the work that was carried out to the Playhouse has ensured the facility is state-of-the art and even better able to serve the needs of the creative arts into the future.”

The refurbishment cost an estimated $3 million and delivers upgraded amenities to ensure the Riverina Playhouse includes disabled access and facilities, upgrades to the theatre seating, new lighting grid systems, wall and floor furnishings, new auditorium layout with new theatre chairs providing generous leg room, new emergency and exit lighting, and a re-organised foyer area.

Head of the School of Communication and Creative Industries Ms Sue Wood said, “Staff and students in the School of Communication and Creative Industries are delighted with the upgrade and look forward to working in the newly improved theatre”.

The refurbishment project officer Mr Neal Molineaux said the enhancements to the Playhouse will benefit performers and audiences.

“The environment will also benefit from some of the upgrades, with a key focus on sustainability features,” Mr Molineaux said. “The newly-installed mechanical systems and lighting are energy efficient, and water saving fittings have been added to the hydraulic systems.”

The Riverina Playhouse was established in 1986 and has had limited improvements since then.  CSU students have been using alternative venues at CSU in Wagga Wagga and other community facilities during the refurbishment.

MyDay showcases CSU courses to future students

* Around 200 high school students expected for MyDay at CSU in Port M on Tuesday 19 June

* Free MyDay event is a great start to preparation for university

Senior high school students from across NSW will attend a MyDay at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Port Macquarie on Tuesday 19 June to explore a range of courses and future study options.

CSU prospective student adviser Ms Melinda Negus said, “With around 175 students currently registered, we can expect about 200 students plus parents to attend the MyDay.

“The students who have registered come from a very broad area as well as our own region, from a range of schools from Moruya and Griffith to Armidale and Coffs Harbour.

“The students who attend MyDay can learn about the courses we offer at Charles Sturt University as well as general information about university and study. This free event is a great start to university preparation.

“Parents are also welcome to attend most sessions to learn more about courses and study at Charles Sturt University.”

Courses to be explored by the students include accounting and business, graphic design, environmental science and outdoor recreation, criminal justice, law and policing, exercise and sports science, occupational therapy, paramedicine, physiotherapy, psychology, social work, and teaching and education.

MyDay showcases CSU courses to future students

* 200 high school students expected for MyDay at CSU Bathurst on Friday 15 June

* Free MyDay event is a great start to preparation for university

Senior high school students from across NSW will attend a MyDay at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Friday 15 June to explore a range of courses and future study options.

CSU prospective student adviser Mr Ben Rodwell said, “With around 175 students currently registered, we can expect about 200 students plus parents to attend the MyDay.

“The students who have registered come from a very broad area as well as our own region, from a range of schools from Gunnedah and Hay to Moruya and Sydney.

“The students who attend MyDay can learn about the courses we offer at Charles Sturt University as well as general information about university and study. This free event is a great start to university preparation.

“Parents are also welcome to attend most sessions to learn more about courses and study at Charles Sturt University.”

Courses to be explored by the students include accounting, arts, business, communication and creative industries, computer science and information technology, criminal justice, law and policing, exercise and sports science, nursing, paramedicine, teaching and education, engineering and general studies (science).