Explorations lecture by historian Bill Gammage

Historian and author Adjunct Professor Bill Gammage AM returns to his hometown of Wagga Wagga on Thursday 14 May to present a free public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) on his 2011 book, The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made Australia. Professor Gammage is a historian at the Australian National University's (ANU) Humanities Research Centre. His book explodes the myth that Australia was an untamed wilderness before 1788 and reveals a complex, country-wide system of land management used by Aboriginal people. It included the use of fire and life cycles of native plants to ensure food supplies throughout the year. Professor Gammage attended Wagga Wagga High School before studying at ANU and lecturing at universities in Papua New Guinea and Adelaide. He is also the author of The Broken Years: Australian Soldiers in the Great War and was an advisor on the 1981 film Gallipoli. He has written and edited several books. In 2005 Professor Gammage was made a Member of the Order of Australia. The public is welcome to attend the free lecture, The Biggest Estate on Earth, from 6pm in the Swan Theatre, building 12, near car park 4, Tooma Way, CSU in Wagga Wagga. The lecture is part of the University's Explorations Series.

MyDay for computer science at CSU

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst will host a MyDay on Tuesday 12 May for senior school students who are interested in studying computer science. MyDay gives students a taste of living and learning on campus, and provides useful information about courses and study options. Students also receive information about opportunities and support available, and about how to achieve their goals. Mr Jason Howarth, lecturer and course director in the School of Computing and Mathematics at CSU in Bathurst, said, "The aim of MyDay is let students know about the great careers they can embark upon once they get a Bachelor's degree in computer science. It is essential that regional students hear about the opportunities in technology-related employment so they can make informed choices about their future. In a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, it was noted that up to 44 per cent of current Australian jobs will be automated in the next 20 years. Students with a computer science degree will be well-placed to withstand this massive digital disruption. Already, 75 per cent of the fastest growing jobs require technology skills, jobs such as computer and apps programming, database and systems administration, and network support."

Free CSU psychology seminar on body image

The Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Psychology will present a seminar for staff, students and the public in Bathurst on Wednesday 13 May. Seminar series coordinator and psychology lecturer Dr Stephanie Quinton said the seminar is free and will be presented by Ms Sarah McMahon, a visiting registered psychologist who specialises in treating body image and eating issues at her private practice, BodyMatters Australasia, in Sydney. "Sarah's presentation is titled 'Building health and wellness in our clients', and will consider the socio-political context of body image and eating issues, including the notion that health is directly related to weight," Dr Quinton said. "She will provide an alternative model to build wellness, and there will be a question time at the end to discuss this. Participants are also welcome to discuss the psychologists' experience of establishing and working in a private practice setting." This free seminar is from 4pm to 5pm Wednesday 13 May in the large group room 204, building 1399 'The McDonoughs', at CSU in Bathurst.

Big Idea lunchtime seminars at CSU in Bathurst

Big Ideas abound at lunchtime on Thursdays at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst. The Head of Campus at CSU in Bathurst, Professor Jo-Anne Reid, said staff, students and members of the public are invited to enjoy lunch while listening to some leading CSU thinkers as they talk about the big ideas that make them passionate about their work. "The Big Idea seminar series provides the chance to find out more about a range of interesting topics and participate in relaxed discussion with each of our presenters," Professor Reid said. "Many of these ideas have been presented at major conferences outside Charles Sturt University, so it's a good opportunity for people to come and see what's going on here." All Big Idea sessions are held each Thursday from 12.30pm to 1.30pm at 'Rafters' bar and cafe (in building 1413); bring your own lunch or order from the special 'Rafters' lunchtime menu available from 12.15pm. The next four presentation dates and topics include:

Thursday 14 May – Ms Kate Smith, lecturer in theatre/media in the School of Communication and Creative Industries, 'The mindful academic: a third-space for being'.

Thursday 21 May – Dr Margaret Van Heekeren, senior lecturer in journalism in the School of Communication and Creative Industries, 'Rising from the ashes – the journalism phoenix'.

Thursday 28 May – Ms Annabel Matheson, lecturer in nursing in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health, 'Shift work, nursing and women's work'.

Thursday 4 June - Dr Chelsea Litchfield, lecturer in sports studies in School of Human Movement Studies, 'Gender and the sports media'.

International Nurses Day celebrated at CSU in Dubbo

Nursing staff and students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo will salute nurses past and present with a day of activities to celebrate International Nurses Day on Tuesday 12 May. Ms Cathy Maginnis, lecturer in nursing at the CSU School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health , said the School is hosting a day of activities for nursing students and interested nurses to celebrate the invaluable contributions nurses make to the health of society. "Charles Sturt University is educating nursing students to work locally, nationally and in the international arena," Ms Maginnis said. "A career in nursing offers an abundance of areas and specialities to work in. The theme of this year's International Nurses Day is 'Nurses: A force for change: Care effective, cost effective'. This theme will be demonstrated throughout the day by visiting the history of nurses, sharing experiences of retired nurses, and looking into the high-tech world of current flight nursing with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. These events will demonstrate our ongoing commitment to educating nurses to deliver high quality cost effective nursing care to the community."

Film night celebrates International Nurses Day

International Nurses Day will be celebrated with a double-bill film night at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Tuesday 19 May. Associate Professor David Stanley, the Head of the CSU School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health, said, International Nurses Day (12 May) is an important reminder of the valuable work nurses do around the world. "We invite members of the community to join our students and staff for the screening of two engaging films about nursing as a career. The first film is The Lamp Still Burns, a classic black and white film from 1943, the story of how nursing and nursing education use to be. During intermission we'll draw the lucky door prize. The second film is Wit (2001), staring Emma Thompson, a wonderful film about nursing care and illness from the patient's perspective." The films will be screened at 7pm Tuesday 19 May in lecture room 205, building 1292, at CSU in Bathurst. Entry is a $5 donation, and food and drinks provided by the CSU Bathurst Nurses Club can be purchased. Money raised will go to Daffodil Cottage (cancer treatment support) in Bathurst.

CSU bicentenary gift to Bathurst Regional Council

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will give 500 copies of a new book to Bathurst Regional Council to mark the 200^th anniversary of the settlement of the city. CSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann will deliver the book, From Flag Staff to Town Square - A Guide to the Government Settlement Heritage Trail, to the Mayor of Bathurst, Councillor Gary Rush, on Monday 4 May at Bathurst Regional Council chambers. The formal presentation of the book will be at a bicentenary luncheon on Thursday 7 May. From Flag Staff to Town Square is an illustrated guidebook to the Bathurst Government Settlement precinct and acts to support the interpretation signage for a heritage walk created by the Bathurst Regional Council. "Charles Sturt University and its predecessor institutions have grown and developed with, and as part of, Bathurst," Professor Vann said. "The University is proud to be an integral part of the educational, cultural and economic landscape of the region, and congratulates Bathurst Regional Council on its achievements to date. The university has a strong commitment to working for the betterment of the community into the future. I am delighted to present From Flag Staff to Town Square - A Guide to the Government Settlement Heritage Trail as a gift from the University to the Bathurst community on the occasion of the bicentenary of the establishment of Bathurst. I congratulate and thank the author, adjunct senior lecturer Dr Robin McLachlan, on his fine work, and note the contribution of another University staff member, Ms Natasha Townsend, for the value she has brought to this book as its graphic designer."

Annual FACTS Day at CSU in Bathurst

The annual Facts About Careers and Tertiary Study (FACTS) Day will be held at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Thursday 7 May. FACTS Day is organised by the Central West Careers Advisers Association to assist Year 12 high schools students from across the central west to explore their future career and employment opportunities. CSU prospective student adviser, Ms Fran Dwyer, said, "Approximately 900 Year 12 students from schools in Bathurst,  Kandos, Oberon, Blayney, Cowra, Canowindra, Orange, and Molong  will seek information from about 120 representatives of more than 50 career and employer organisations, including universities, private providers, TAFE, Centrelink, police, and other government agencies. FACTS Day provides regional final-year high school students the opportunity to speak with a range of educational providers, and hear a motivational speaker. It is also an opportunity for students to experience Charles Sturt University by attending the campus, which some schools will tour."

Wiradyuri nation-building event at CSU in Bathurst

The television studio at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst will be used for a Wiradyuri nation-building event on Saturday 2 May. The Wiradyuri-gu Yindyamarra (Respect for Wiradyuri) is a taped discussion with Elders, invited speakers, and relocated Wiradyuri people from 10.30am to12.30pm. CSU alumnus Ms Suzanne Ingram (communication, 1996) will emcee the event. "This is a very special event to be held in a very special place, Bathurst," Ms Ingram said. "The opportunity for our people to connect on country with Wiradyuri from all over to celebrate and discuss our future, our way, to bring young people and Elders together with everyone in between - it's fantastic." Discussion will encompass the recently announced co-naming of Mount Panorama as Wahluu by the Geographical Names Board. This event stems from the First Nations (Native American) initiative in Arizona USA, and is understood to be the first of this kind globally. Wiradyuri-gu Yindyamarra is presented by the Bathurst Wiradyuri and Aboriginal Community Elders in conjunction with the Black Theatre Company. Find out more here. The event is in The Studio (room 117, building 1399), Charles Sturt University, Panorama Ave, Bathurst. CSU staff and students are providing technical assistance.

The psychology of ageing discussed at public lecture

Charles Sturt University (CSU) Lecturer in psychology Dr Judith Gullifer will deliver a free public lecture at CSU in Orange on Friday 1 May 2015 which will discuss the psychology of ageing. 'Recent developments in the psychology of ageing' is part of the University's Explorations Series and will be held in building 1004, room 120 from 6 pm to 7pm. Dr Gullifer is a Lecturer at CSU's School of Psychology and will discuss results from a research project she completed in late 2014. "With the Australian population aged over 65 expected to double within the next 30 years, increased life expectancy and many government resources being poured into helping our aging population it is important for us to understand how ageing is perceived in society and the experience of older people," Dr Gullifer said. "The ageing population also applies to regional Australia, however Orange itself is slightly unique. The strong mining industry seems to have drawn families with younger children to the area and in 2011 the proportion of pre-schoolers was higher than the proportion of persons at post retirement age." Dr Judith Gullifer is a registered psychologist with a background in professional counselling in rural and remote Australia. She also holds various positions with the Australian Psychological Society. For more information about the public lecture please visit http://news.csu.edu.au/events