Building robots and computer games and working on an IT service desk are among the activities high school students will experience at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga this week. Hosted by the School of Computing and Mathematics at CSU in Wagga Wagga, the students from Years 11 and 12 will attend workshops presented by lecturers, staff of the Division of Information Technology and PhD students from Tuesday 21 August to Thursday 23 August. During IT Work Experience 2012, the students will write computer games, build robots, learn about networking and scripting, undertake roles on the CSU IT service desk and have simulated job interviews. They will also hear about pathway programs into CSU and careers in IT and computing. Lecturer Dr Lihong Zheng from the School of Computing and Mathematics at CSU said, “This program provides local high school students with real life experience as an employee in the IT and computing industry. The students were selected in conjunction with COMPACT, with priority given to HSC students.” The School of Computing and Mathematics at CSU offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in information and communication technology, mathematics and statistics. Read more here.

Following the recent 75^th anniversary celebrations to mark the formation of the Dubbo chapter of the Aborigines Progressive Association (APA) in 1937, a photographic display of prominent Aboriginal men and women is on show at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo until 17 December. Mr John Nolan, community relations officer with the CSU Centre for Indigenous Studies in Dubbo, said the exhibition is made available to the University by Dubbo City Council and its Aboriginal liaison officer, Mrs Grace Toomey. “The APA was originally formed in Sydney in 1924, and a Dubbo branch was established at a public meeting on 27 June 1937 in a small cottage in Myall Street, Dubbo North, opposite the school,” Mr Nolan said. “Among those present were William Ferguson, Pearl Gibbs and Jack Patten. At that time, Aboriginal people were under stringent controls by the state government, and many were living on Aboriginal Reserves across NSW, including the Talbragar Reserve just outside Dubbo. Ferguson and Gibbs led a group in the western part of the state, while Patten assembled an alliance of activists in the north-east. Both wings of the APA were involved in political organisation, rallies and protests in Aboriginal communities, reserves and major cities like Sydney, to draw attention to the treatment of Aboriginal people and to the conditions in which they lived.”

In the side’s first season in the Country Rugby League Centennial Coal Cup competition, the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Mungoes Rugby League Football Club won its semi-final against the Kandos Waratahs last weekend and qualified for the grand final. CSU Mungoes RLFC President, Mr Andrew Banasik, who is studying for a Master of Management at the CSU School of Management and Marketing, said this also enables the team to host the grand final game at Carrington Park in Bathurst on Saturday 8 September. “This is the first year the team has entered this competition and the Club’s achievement is outstanding ,” Mr Banasik said. “Everyone made a huge effort throughout the season, and with luck and continued hard work we hope to be the 2012 champions.” The club invites everyone to the grand final at 2.30pm on Saturday 8 September at Carrington Park, Bathurst, to cheer on the CSU Mungoes who will play the team that wins the elimination final next weekend between the Kandos Waratahs and Lithgow Bears.

The Mitchell Student Guild of Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst will host the annual Kids Day Out charity fundraiser on Sunday 2 September. 2012 Kids Day Out Director, Ms Alyce Woods, said, “After being postponed earlier in the year due to wet weather, the new date gives children of all ages a great way to celebrate Fathers Day with their dads. This year’s event promises to be a jam-packed day with appearances by Dora the Explorer and Diego, Toy Story’s Buzz and Woody, and  Tinkerbell. This year we’ll also have some great rides for the little kids and ‘big kids’ at heart. All proceeds will go to the Bathurst Base Hospital Paediatric Ward, and the local Riding for the Disabled.” The event will feature carnival rides, kids’ craft making stalls, an animal petting zoo, jumping castles, barbeque and food stalls, candy and show bags, a community stage with local musicians and performers, raffles, roving performers, face painting, an ambulance on display, and a special look at local emergency services.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Regional Development Australia (RDA) will co-host a beef industry forum in Bathurst on Thursday 30 August to provide cattle producers with the latest production and market trends and intelligence. Dr Karl Behrendt, Director of Agribusiness Research Group at the CSU Faculty of Science said, “Leading experts in beef production and marketing will speak at the Agribusiness Today Forum ‘Profitable Beef in a Challenging Future’, so local cattle producers can hear firsthand about markets and expected returns for this major rural enterprise. Speakers from Queensland will examine production systems, and one of the state’s largest beef processors, Teys, will give a processor’s view. We’ll see how Australian production fits on the international market, and gain ideas on how to improve the performance of herds here on the NSW central tablelands. Speakers involved with the Australian Lot Feeders Association will showcase the latest research about feedlots overseas, and experts from the NSW Department of Primary Industries will provide tips and tools for producing the right beef from herds. A local butcher will discuss consumer feedback about beef products, and there will also be a focus on bulls’ fertility, as well as about using genetics to gain the best results. Mr Tim McRae from Meat and Livestock Australia will present the latest intelligence from the domestic and international markets.”