Charles Sturt University (CSU) Communication (Theatre/Media) graduate, Brendan Cowell has won The 2005 Philip Parsons Young Playwright's Award. Announced in Sydney on Sunday 9 October, Mr Cowell, 28, received a $10,000 mentoring commission from Sydney's Belvoir Street Theatre Company B. He won the award for his treatment for Ruben Guthrie, a tale of male depression, addiction and the pressures of success. In order to qualify for the award, playwrights under 35 must submit a play that has already been performed in Australia by a professional theatre company. But the award is unlike other Australian playwright awards as it is given on the basis of a treatment for a potential new work and to the playwright rather than for the play. This recent success for Mr Cowell follows other awards including the 2003 Griffin Award for Rabbit, the 2002 Patrick White Award for Bed and the Gloria Payten-Gloria Dawn Foundation Young Artist Award for his work as an individual.

Leading Australian energy supplier Country Energy has sponsored the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Remote Telescope by installing a dedicated high speed fibre optic line stretching 1.5 kilometres to enable students around the world to study the universe as seen from the Southern Hemisphere. The initiator and administrator of the CSU Remote Telescope, Associate Professor David McKinnon, from the School of Teacher Education in Bathurst, said the generous offer by Country Energy ensures the viability of the long-running project by providing up-to-date technological links to the Internet. “Country Energy has taken the ‘long view’ to assist starry-eyed school students everywhere. I’m over the moon! The in-kind support consists of plant labour and parts, which is mainly an optical fibre cable backbone link and termination devices. This will ensure faster and more secure download times and viewing opportunities for students,” Professor McKinnon said.

The CSU Media team welcomes you to 2010. We hope you had a safe and enjoyable holiday season, and that the year ahead is a healthy one.

Students in NSW and the ACT will have the opportunity to win cash prizes and donate money their favourite charity when entries open for Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) 2010 Making a Difference competition. CSU’s Making a Difference (MaD) Social Justice Innovation Award is open to all students in NSW and ACT in Year 10, 11 or 12 at high school or a student aged 15 to 21 years at TAFE. “The competition gives young people the opportunity to have an input into the challenging issues such as homelessness, teen suicide, drugs, poverty and crime,” said competition coordinator Mr Bill Anscombe, a senior lecturer in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSU. “This competition offers young people the platform to tell their story.” Students were asked to write a story, poem or script that addresses any issue of social justice for the chance to win $250 cash and to select a charity of their choice which CSU would then make a $250 donation to on their behalf.

When three days of intense competition concluded in Bathurst yesterday, Charles Sturt University (CSU) was named the Australian University Sport 2009 Eastern University Games Overall Champions, for highest overall points scored by all its teams. CSU also placed third in the points-per-capita category. The Vice-Chancellor and President of CSU, Professor Ian Goulter, congratulated the students and praised the organisers for the smooth management of the Games. “I am delighted that the Games have been staged here so successfully and thank everyone involved for a job well done,” Professor Goulter said. “I am particularly proud that Charles Sturt University won in the University’s 20th anniversary year, as well as winning gold medals in several individual sports. My thanks also go to Bathurst Regional Council and local businesses for their support for the Games.” CSU teams Manager, Mr Nik Granger, said “This is a great way to top off what has been a fantastic week of competition for our nearly 300 competing students who come from a number of CSU campuses. They have represented their University and participated in the right spirit, and should all be proud of their efforts. We would also like to thank the University for supporting this event, as it has been a great way to celebrate our 20th anniversary year by hosting – and winning - the games here in Bathurst.” The 2009 Australian University Games will be held on the Gold Coast from Monday 28 September.

Four students from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Ontario Campus, Canada have arrived in Dubbo to work at Buninyong and Wellington Public Schools as part of their studies. Ms Angelica Barone, Ms Laura Donnelly, Ms Lucy Lee and Ms Wendy Wright have been provided accommodation on the CSU Dubbo Campus during their stay and will complete their practical studies as part of their Bachelor of Primary Education Studies. Lecturer in the School of Education in Dubbo, Ms Alison Lord, is excited about the Canadian student’s arrival, having taught them during her secondment at CSU in Ontario. “These girls are passionate about children’s education,” Ms Lord said. “Their commitment to the course and their future careers is proven by travelling to the Western Region of NSW to complete their studies.”

A leading climate change researcher with Charles Sturt University (CSU) believes delaying the emissions trading scheme (ETS) will cost every Australian in the long run. Professor Kevin Parton, a lead researcher with CSU’s Institute for Land, Water and Society, said the Federal government’s decision to delay the introduction of the scheme until after 2012 to wait and see what the rest of the world will do on carbon emissions was no reason to delay. “The three biggest polluters are USA, China and Europe. China is developing green technologies, and Europe already has an ETS. They are going to be way ahead of Australia,” Professor Parton said. “The media has greatly exaggerated the cost of an ETS to the public, leading to falling public support for the scheme. And the government doesn’t want to take the scheme to its first election.” Professor Parton said under ‘business as usual’ without an ETS, Australia can expect to double its average level of income by 2050. “But with the ETS this income doubling would be delayed only one year.”

Twenty-two high-achieving students will receive scholarships and prizes at a presentation ceremony at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo on Tuesday 4 May. The Head of Campus at CSU in Dubbo, Dr Bev Moriarty, will welcome the students and their guests, and the 11 scholarships and 12 prizes will be presented by Dr David Tien, a member of the University Council, who will represent the University’s Chancellor, Mr Lawrie Willett, AO. This year, seven out of the 11 scholarships will be awarded to first year students. Four awards will also be presented from the Faculty of Business 2009 Dean’s List to students studying accounting, finance and business studies. Growing up in Narromine and completing high school and university while living in Dubbo, Ms Fallon Wheeler, a third-year student completing a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary), will receive a scholarship and a two prizes. Ms Wheeler also received scholarships for the past two years and was the CSU Dubbo Orientation Week coordinator this year.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Dubbo City Council (DCC) will renew their cooperative agreement when representatives sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at CSU in Dubbo on Wednesday 31 March. CSU Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Ian Goulter, said, “We are building on the strong foundation of the existing MoU to continue important collaborative work to benefit regional Australia. Under the MoU, the University and Dubbo City Council will enhance each other’s strategic direction. Our focus is on sustainable economic, environmental and social development within the local government area and broader region. In particular, we are keen to explore and maximise opportunities that mutually benefit communities, businesses, government and Indigenous agencies in Dubbo.” The agreement will be signed by Professor Goulter and the Mayor of Dubbo City Council, Councillor Allan Smith, in the presence of CSU’s Head of Campus in Dubbo, Dr Bev Moriarty, and Councillor Matthew Dickerson, a member of the CSU/DCC Working Party.