There was loud applause for awarding-winning Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher Associate Professor Gavin Ash as he received public recognition for his work in the fields of agricultural and veterinary sciences and environmental sciences. Professor Ash was named earlier this year the recipient of the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence 2007. The CSU academic received his award from the Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Goulter during the graduation ceremonies on the Wagga Wagga Campus in April. Professor Ash, from the CSU School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, was honoured for his outstanding contribution to innovative research in plant pathology, identifying and determining the risk posed by diseases in crops and exploring innovative approaches to the management of diseases and weeds. Since joining CSU at Wagga Wagga in 1990, Professor Ash has attracted more than $4.2 million in research funds, written for over 150 publications and supervised 38 postgraduate students. In the last five years Professor Ash has authored 27 refereed publications and gained 27 research grants.

Two journalists from the small European state of Montenegro, the world’s newest nation, have visited Charles Sturt University (CSU) Bathurst Campus to learn about how the media works in Australia and how the university promotes itself through the media. Dr Hazbo Skoko, a lecturer at the CSU School of Marketing and Management, hosted the visit and acted as interpreter for Mr Vukoman Batko Kljajevic, a radio and TV journalist for Crna Gora, the Montenegro Government Broadcast Company, and Mr Murat Corovic, chief editor of the MOZAIK magazine for culture, education and tradition. Dr Skoko said the visiting journalists were impressed with CSU students’ lifestyles and facilities. “They also were very impressed with the Australian educational system and the transparency, friendliness and easy going approach of the work of lecturers and students.”

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) research student is seeking volunteers from the Bathurst area to become involved in a physical health and wellbeing study. Mr Cheyne Donges, who is with the School of Human Movement Studies, said that while a number of women have registered for the research, he needs more Bathurst men to participate. “I need non-smoking men aged between 30 to 60 years,” Mr Donges said. “Furthermore, I am looking for people who are not currently or haven’t been exercising more than once per week in the last few months, and they should not be taking any hormone replacement therapy, blood pressure or cholesterol medication. Study participants will receive is a free comprehensive blood test with an explanation of their results, plus an image scan to analyse muscle, bone, fat and other tissues their body. We will also provide an analysis of muscle, strength and cardiorespiratory fitness.” Anyone interested to participate in the research can contact Mr Donges on 6338 4048, or send an email.

A massive 80 tonne crane will be used to lift and position prefabricated concrete 'pods' for innovative new accommodation on Charles Sturt University's (CSU) Bathurst Campus. Fifteen semi-trailers will deliver the pods on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 June. Mr Andrew Callander, Executive Director of CSU Division of Student Services, said, “The installation of the concrete pods is a significant first step in providing new and much needed accommodation for our students. Construction is on schedule to date, and, weather permitting, the buildings should be completed in six months.” The pods are formed and cast in concrete with three walls and a roof as one. They are then lifted and locked into place onto concrete foundation pads, with plates holding the top of the pods together. The process should see two pods installed per hour, with the builders expecting to complete two houses with a central shared kitchen and bathroom in three days. The new accommodation at Bathurst will house up to 200 students and is expected to be ready for the start of the 2009 academic year.

A visiting world expert will present a seminar on 'communities of practice' for staff and students at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Bathurst Campus on Monday 7 July. Dr Etienne Wenger, a pioneer and globally-recognized leader on ‘communities of practice’, or a group focussed on a common professional interest, and their application to organisations, will speak about 'Practice-based professional learning: investigating perspectives from social learning theory'. Dr Wenger describes himself as an independent thinker, researcher, consultant, author, and speaker. He is currently working as a consultant at the Open University in the United Kingdom and is author and co-author of articles and books on 'communities of practice' and is a founder of CPsquare, a cross-organizational, cross-sector community of practice on the topic. Professor Joy Higgs, Director of CSU’s Education for Practice Institute, said “Dr Wenger’s work has been adopted in many arenas due to the increasing recognition of the importance of learning and practice communities in many private and public sector workplaces”.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer has completed a ten year project to enhance and preserve the Bathurst home of former Labor Prime Minister Ben Chifley. Dr Robin McLachlan, an adjunct senior lecturer in history and cultural heritage studies at the School of Social Sciences and Liberal Studies on the University's Bathurst Campus, said the aim of the project was to create a critical mass of public history ‘products’ in support of the Chifley Home in Bathurst. “This work involved some of my history students, and I led the team of consultants who produced the first ‘product’, a heritage assessment and management plan for the Chifley Home which recommended that Bathurst Regional Council (BRC) purchase the adjoining terrace house for the better conservation of the Chifley Home. BRC now owns that property and has announced that it will be developed as an educational museum and administrative office,” Dr McLachlan said. Another project product is the play A Local Man, co-written by Dr McLachlan and Mr Bob Ellis. The final product was the film documentary The Chifleys of Busby Street – A Community Remembers, which was launched in Bathurst on 25 June.

Research at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will explore the everyday experience of primary school-aged siblings of children with additional needs, particularly at school. Ms Jacqui Barr, a primary school teacher and PhD student in CSU’s School of Teacher Education, said her research aims to give an authentic account of these children’s experiences. “I need to speak with families and children in the Bathurst area who have children in Year 3 or above at primary school and are the sibling of a child with additional needs. The study will involve interviewing the sibling, as well as other significant people in their lives, such as parents, the brother or sister with additional needs, and their teacher. Each participant will be interviewed once, with interviews taking between 15 minutes and 1 hour,” Ms Barr said. The results of the study will be used to inform educators about the significant experiences of siblings of children with additional needs. People interested in participating in the research project should contact Jacqui Barr on (02) 6332 9107 or send an email for more information.

More than 500 mourners have attended a memorial service at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Wagga Wagga Campus on Monday 4 February to honour former Chancellor, Dr David Asimus, AO, who died on Australia Day 2008. Moving tributes to Dr Asimus were delivered in eulogies from Ian Macintosh, Ian Sully and son-in-law James Sutherland. The congregation included the Hon. Kay Hull, federal Member for Riverina; The Hon. Daryl McGuire, NSW Member for Wagga; John Fairfax, Chairman, Fairfax Media, the Hon. Tim Fischer, Former Deputy Prime Minister; The Rev. Archbishop Francis Carroll, Catholic Bishop of Canberra; Mr Lawrie Willet AO, Chancellor CSU and Mr James Sutherland, CEO Cricket Australia. Dr Asimus was elected the foundation Chancellor of CSU in 1989 and served in this post until 2002. As Chancellor, he oversaw the integration of the Riverina-Murray Institute of Higher Education and Mitchell College of Advanced Education to form the new Charles Sturt University.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) may be the University of Inland Australia but that hasn’t stopped one of its students excelling at the recent Australian University Surfing Championships held at Narrow Neck on Queensland’s Gold Coast from Monday 7 to Wednesday 9 July. Ms Lisa Matuzelis, a ‘natural’ stance surfer (ie left foot forward) from Wollongong who is studying for a Master of Applied Science (Library & Information Management) by distance education, won a gold medal in the women’s body board event and a silver medal in the women’s short board (stand-up) event. The contest was held in excellent conditions with a solid three foot swell and good banks which offered both left and right hand breaks. “The competition was good and very close, and I am happy with my outcome, which was better than I expected,” Ms Matuzelis said. “I have enjoyed studying with CSU, and although at times it can be a little challenging studying by distance education, it does seem to get easier each year. The best part of being a distance education student is that I can still live near the coast and complete a degree from a university that is far from any beach.”