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.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is ensuring communities of inland Australia have continued access to quality higher education by granting approval for the Sydney-based art-supply company The Art Scene to continue to deliver the Mitchell School of Arts (MSA) programs. CSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Lyn Gorman, says the driving force behind this decision is to continue a long standing program that provides artistic, social and economic stimulus to the arts community, and to allow CSU to maintain focus on its core business of providing higher education programs. The Art Scene has been involved with the MSA program for many years and has the expertise to continue the program, according to its manager Mr Paul Malouf. “We are committed to continuing and further developing the excellent art programs that have been offered in the past by the University and retaining a reputation as the leading arts program of its kind in Australia,” he said. The Art Scene plans to offer the Henry Malouf Mitchell School of Art Scholarship and will continue to use facilities on CSU’s Bathurst Campus. Funds held in trust by CSU from the Friends of the MSA will be transferred to The Art Scene, enabling it to continue to offer scholarships to eligible participants in the program.

A study conducted by a Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher has revealed disturbing links between diabetes and depression. Medical science honours student, Ms Marina Jeeawody, reports that the level of depression in people with diabetes is much higher than those without diabetes. Based on the analysis of 750 participants from Albury and surrounding areas, the research showed depression is more prevalent in older women, and despite the stigma of mental illness, there is a shift towards recognition and the acceptance of depression and a willingness to discuss mood changes with health professionals. “For the people with diabetes, depression may be an additional barrier to achieving effective self-care. As a risk that can be modified, depression treatments could decrease the risk of diabetes-related complications,” said Ms Jeeawody.

Cadet journalists working at National Radio News (NRN) at Charles Sturt University (CSU) have gained a number of paid internships with leading media organisations. NRN manager Mr Peter Hetherington said that the success of NRN staff in gaining outside internships and other placements is quite significant. “This is the pilot for an ongoing program, and those who show aptitude during the internship will be fast tracked into fulltime work at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC),” he said. “It demonstrates that the training our students receive in their CSU journalism course and the practical experience they gain through their NRN cadetships equips them to step straight into on-air roles with major broadcasters.” Three NRN cadets - Rebecca Bruce, Frank Ienco and Cameron Green - commenced paid internships with ABC Radio in Sydney from 5 November. Former NRN journalist Matthew Reardon has been accepted for an internship with Deutsche Vella, Germany’s major public broadcaster NRN cadet Patrick Cronan has commenced with 2TM Tamworth as on-air news journalist, while CSU graduate Rochelle Nolan has commenced as fulltime journalist with NRN.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) has a long history of producing champions in various fields and it hasn’t lost its touch with the recent inclusion of All Luck, a horse sired by CSU thoroughbred Bao Lack, in Australia’s Olympic three-day event team. “Bao Lack is a 16.2 hands-high thoroughbred with a wonderful temperament,” CSU’s Equine Business Management lecturer Dr Amanda Warren-Smith said. “I’m not surprised he has produced a horse that can compete at Olympic level.” Mr Shane Rose will make his debut at the Beijing Olympic Games riding the 13 year-old horse. Mr Rose and All Luck will feature in three days of fierce competition in three disciplines; dressage, cross-country and show jumping. “We’re thrilled that Bao Luck has sired this Olympic contender,” Dr Warren-Smith said.

With the Australian Dental Association focusing on fluoride during Dental Health Week, Dubbo-based dental therapist MsLynne Turner is encouraging local families to ensure their children’s teeth are getting the attention they need. "Fluoridated water supplies are critical to helping fight tooth decay, so we encourage local residents, especially children, to drink the town water. It's important to speak to your dentist or oral health therapist about how a good diet, good oral hygiene and drinking fluoridated water all contribute to sound oral health." Lynne is the only full-time dental therapist working in the Dubbo area but more are expected in years to come with the opening of Charles Sturt University's oral health therapy course in Wagga Wagga. "CSU students will be involved with many aspects of preventative dentistry, including an understanding of the positive impacts of fluoridation within our populations,” says senior lecturer Dr Sabrina Manickam. "Unfortunately tooth decay in young children is still evident, particularly in lower socio-economic groups, so our students will be encouraged to continue the education of parents, ensuring good oral health practices for families."  

Climate change and international markets are influencing the demand and supply of conserved fodder in Australia, and this year’s Riverina Outlook Conference will focus on the strategies needed to manage these changes. Hosted by the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation at Charles Sturt University (CSU), the conference will be held in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 14 August. EH Graham Centre Director, Professor Deirdre Lemerle said, “The aim of the event will be to highlight key issues that make the difference between profit and loss from conserved fodder. The Conference continues the long-standing tradition of highlighting future challenges for agriculture while offering suggestions and solutions to deal with them. Managing risks and the challenges of maintaining livestock production levels in a variable climate make the theme for this conference highly relevant to producers, agricultural advisors, consultants, educators and agricultural industry representatives.”  

For the first time, more than 80 sheep and lamb producers will converge on the NSW town of Cowra for Charles Sturt University's (CSU) annual Asia Today forum on Thursday 14 August 2008. Director of the CSU Asian Agribusiness Research Centre, Dr Claus Deblitz, says the day will cover all aspects of marketing lamb, from trends in the Asian markets to hearing from a local marketing group on their ability to lift returns. Dr Deblitz said, “Cowra is an important town within CSU’s region, with many of its residents studying at one of its campuses, so this is why we decided to hold this major conference there. Two areas which will receive attention on the day are the threats from and opportunities offered by climate change and current developments and their consequences for grain markets.” said Dr Deblitz. “We are delighted to be able to bring such a major conference to the local area, and given the high standard of speakers we hope local lamb and sheep meat producers will take part in these discussions.“

A third-year Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) student at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Dubbo Campus will travel to Canada at the end of August to spend her next academic session at the University of Regina in the province of Saskatchewan. Ms Sally Holland, from Wellington, NSW, is the third student from the Dubbo Campus to participate in the CSU Study Exchange Program when she starts her semester abroad on Tuesday 2 September. “I was lucky to successfully apply for this scholarship which only became available since the end of 2007, when the CSU Office of International Relations secured an additional $5 000 overseas scholarship for one Dubbo exchange student to study abroad in 2008,” Ms Holland said. “I am very excited about my upcoming trip to Canada to study for a semester.” The CSU International Exchange Program offers CSU students a variety of study abroad opportunities to gain credits towards their degree under its student mobility program CSU Global.