Regional unis visit Dubbo school students

Wednesday, 1 Jan 2003
Charles Sturt University (CSU) will be one of three universities to provide senior high school students in Dubbo with the chance to discover more about university life and potential career paths when the Regional University Road Show comes to town on Thursday 4 March. Dubbo Senior College will host one of the road show events, which career advisor, Mrs Denise Latta, describes as a wonderful opportunity for local students. “A large percentage of Dubbo school graduates complete their tertiary education at regional universities and this is a chance to hear from three different universities in the one session. This enables them to consider a number of options for future study,” Mrs Latta said. “Often regional students have difficulty attending university open days, so here the universities come to the students. The sessions are very informative and give lots of time for questions about both the study options and the admissions process."

Switch off to save energy: CSU trial a success

Wednesday, 1 Jan 2003
A grassroots energy saving project conducted in the School of Education at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga has reached its halfway mark, with preliminary results showing substantial cuts in electricity use. Energy use has been reduced over a two-week period by between 16 per cent and as much as 74 per cent, with an average reduction per staff member of 37 per cent. “While energy-savvy, many of the 16 participants have been surprised by the amount of energy that can be saved by simply switching off a power point,” said the project’s leader, Ms Barbara Conlan. “We also hope to raise student awareness about the energy saving, which will hopefully encourage energy saving behaviour within the education institutions in which they will work.” Mr William Adlong, Manager of CSU Green, which coordinates the grant scheme, said, “The University aims to reduce its energy consumption by 10 per cent and to reduce its water use by 25 per cent by 2011. Initiatives such as this project will help us reach these targets."

US paramedics benefit from CSU professor

Wednesday, 1 Jan 2003
The newly-appointed Professor of Paramedic Practice and Leadership at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Biomedical Sciences in Bathurst, Professor Peter O’Meara, has returned from teaching a one week course for paramedics from several states centred around the  US state of Illinois. “They have a very different system in the US to ours in Australia,” Professor O’Meara explained. “The professional practice and management issues are similar, however they have 17 000 ambulance service providers compared to eight in Australia. Services range from very small to moderately sized organisations serving a city or regional community and there are no state-wide services. Many are run by the fire brigade, others by city councils, hospitals and private companies, some for profit and others not-for-profit. In Australia we are well advanced in the education and training of paramedics and ambulance service managers. However, we can learn from experiences in the US where they face challenges over a very large and diverse country. I see potentially great opportunities for the University to extend into the US paramedic education market in partnership with professional associations and other universities involved in paramedic education. I am also pursuing opportunities for CSU paramedic students to undertake clinical placements in the US.”

TV graduate carves out promising career

Wednesday, 1 Jan 2003
In any industry freelancing is not for the faint-hearted, but a Charles Sturt University (CSU) graduate has one successful year under her belt and is confident her second will be even better. Ms Gemma Thornton had experiences as varied as sailing on the eco-boat ‘Ady Gil’ and maintaining the boat’s videoblog while moored in New Zealand’s Auckland Harbour, to working on broadcasts for the ABC and SBS. Ms Thornton, who grew up in Ulladulla on the NSW South Coast, finished a Bachelor of Arts in Television Production in 2008. She says she was prepared to give freelancing a go for a year to “see if I could carve out a career”. “During the past year I found the skills and training gained at Charles Sturt University were outstanding and stand up well in professional practice. I feel well-prepared to go out on my own for another year,” she said. “The opportunity to work last November as a volunteer on the ‘Ady Gil’, one of the boats operated by the Sea Shepherd conservation group, was incredible. I really felt that we could make a difference. Of course it’s a memory cherished more fondly since the boat was sunk in the Antarctic in January.” Ms Thornton says the contacts she built in 2009 will help her find work in television studios doing camera operating and assistance work this year.

Orientation Week on the way

Wednesday, 1 Jan 2003

• Monday 22 February - Check-in of new residents to the student residences at Thurgoona;
• Tuesday 23 February - Official welcome to CSU in Albury-Wodonga by acting Head of Campus, Associate Professor John Atkinson;
• Tuesday 23 February - Market Day for student-run academic, sporting and leisure clubs and local businesses;
• Wednesday 24 February – Big BBQ for all new students at lunchtime. Students are officially enrolling this day; and,
• Friday 26 February – Race Around Thurgoona for new students to help get to know their local area and campus.

Parents' turn to learn

Wednesday, 1 Jan 2003

Tasting CSU wines at the MCG

Wednesday, 1 Jan 2003
Charles Sturt University (CSU) wines were praised at a recent luncheon hosted by the prestigious Melbourne Cricket Club Wine & Food Society. CSU winemaker Mr Andrew Drumm was invited to match a selection of CSU wines with food at the monthly dinner and to speak about the characteristics of the wines. The sold out event held on Wednesday 24 February catered for over 170 people and Mr Drumm said it was a great opportunity to showcase CSU wines to an appreciative audience of wine lovers. “The diners were particularly interested in The College Muscat which we served with dessert and this prompted a wide-ranging discussion about which state produces the best port.”

Protecting the cropping future

Wednesday, 1 Jan 2003
The winner of an inaugural national cropping competition has returned to Australia from New Zealand (NZ) to finish his Charles Sturt University (CSU) degree in 2010. Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) student Mr Sandy Middleton, from the School of Agriculture and Wine Sciences at CSU at Wagga Wagga, won the inaugural Australian University Crops Competition late last year. He was one of five top students to travel to NZ in January to learn about that country’s cropping industry. During the fully-funded four-day industry tour, the group met with local university representatives and visited the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, a number of farms and a seed production company. Mr Middleton told Get Farming New Zealand, that the trip was a terrific opportunity to learn about crop production in a completely different environment. "The trip gave us an insight into the issues facing New Zealand's grain producers who farm in a cool environment where water is abundant," Mr Middleton said. The CSU student from the Kyeamba Valley near Wagga Wagga is completing his degree by distance education. He is currently working as an agronomist based in Holbrook.

Scandinavian honours for education academic

Wednesday, 1 Jan 2003
The work of Charles Sturt University (CSU) Professor of Education Stephen Kemmis achieved international recognition in Scandinavia last year. Professor Kemmis, from the School of Education at CSU in Wagga Wagga, was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Education from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland and, six months later, an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. The Honorary Doctorate in Sweden was in recognition of his international work in education and his involvement in the education of PhD students. Before an audience of about 1 500 people in Gothenburg, Sweden, late last year, Professor Kemmis was also presented the University of Gothenburg’s gold doctoral ring, doctoral hat and laurel crown. His Honorary Doctor of Education from the University of Jyväskylä recognised his work in critical theory and action research. In that ceremony, Professor Kemmis received a top hat with a gold badge and a doctoral sword; styled on the model of the 18th century civilian sword used by Finnish gentlemen. Professor Kemmis is a leading researcher in CSU’s Research Institute for Professional Practice (RIPPLE). In addition to his work at CSU, Professor Kemmis is internationally renowned for his research in the areas of professional practice, approaches to educational research and evaluation, educational curriculum, Indigenous education, and university development.

Improving mental health for Indigenous Australians

Wednesday, 1 Jan 2003