The importance of research into a major Australian agricultural and environmental weed - serrated tussock - has been acknowledged with a national scholarship awarded to Charles Sturt University (CSU) student, Ms Sonia Graham. The PhD student is one of two university students in Australia to be awarded the three year, $15 000 AW Howard Memorial Research Fellowship. Presented to the Canberra-based Ms Graham by AW Howard Memorial Trust chairman, Professor Rob Lewis, the fellowship will be used to assist with her research. Serrated tussock has spread across farming lands making large areas of NSW and Victoria unproductive. Ms Graham’s study looks at the ways farmers and State and local governments work together to control the weed. The AW Howard Memorial Research Fellowship commemorates the unique contribution of the late South Australian farmer, Mr Amos Howard, in the use of subterranean clover as a major pasture plant in Australia. 

Outstanding academic performance by Charles Sturt University (CSU) graduate Mr David Waters for his research into the world’s tallest flowering plant, the Mountain Ash, has seen him receive the highly prized Charles Sturt University Medal. Mr Waters, from the NSW Department of Primary Industries in Wagga Wagga, was presented the medal while receiving his first class honours in his Bachelor of Applied Science (Environmental Horticulture). The medal allows CSU to give special recognition each year to graduates whose academic performances are “superlative”. Mr Waters’ research involved an anatomical examination of the epicormic structure of the Mountain Ash or Eucalyptus regnans. The species regenerates by seed after high intensity fire, in the mountainous regions of Victoria and Tasmania. Previously, there have been suggestions that its poor re-sprouting ability was due to a lack of epicormic buds that have been found in other eucalypts. However, the research proved conclusively that the species has an epicormic structure typical of other eucalypts. “David has provided a unique perspective on why Mountain Ash can resprout in some circumstances but not others,” said CSU senior lecturer and research supervisor, Dr Geoff Burrows.

‘Get tussock before tussock gets you’ is the topic of a free information session about the destructive weed. Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Dr Aaron Simmons has been passionate about pest and weed control since beginning his PhD at the CSU’s Orange Campus in 2003. Now he and fellow associate Ms Linda Ayres, from the NSW Department of Primary Industries, will discuss with farmers the factors associated with successful serrated tussock control. Serrated tussock is regarded as one of the worst weeds in Australia’s agricultural areas. Because of its invasiveness, it spreads potential economic and environmental impacts costing Australia more than $55 million a year. The information session will be held from 8am to 10am on Tuesday 29 April in the hall at Euchareena, north of Orange. A free breakfast is available. RSVPs are essential. Contact Dr Aaron Simmons on 6365 7630 or send an email.

It was a family affair when Winemaker and Managing Director of Casella Wines, John Casella, was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business by Charles Sturt University (CSU) in April 2008. Dr Casella received the doctorate in recognition of his contribution to the Australian wine industry, particularly through the creation of new export markets, the economic health of the Riverina region of NSW, and to wine education and research programs at CSU. Founded in 1969 by his parents, Filippo and Maria Casella, Casella Wines dramatically increased production under Dr Casella, who also oversaw the launch of the [yellow tail] brand into the United States in 2001. The [yellow tail] brand is the most successful launch of an Australian wine brand in the history of the Australian wine industry. In addition to praise of his management of the family business, Dr Casella was honoured for his commitment to developing the skills and capacity of young people in the Riverina. He attended the CSU graduation ceremony in Wagga Wagga with his parents, his wife and four children.

The review of Aboriginal education across NSW three years ago will be scrutinised in a public lecture at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Dubbo Campus on Wednesday 9 April. Adjunct Professor in the CSU Faculty of Education, Alan Laughlin, will speak about the NSW Aboriginal Education Review of 2004, which was one of the widest assessments of the opinions of Aboriginal people carried out in NSW. “Three years on, many of the recommendations have been implemented. Clearly, generational change is needed, but what has been the impact to date?” Professor Laughlin asks. “The review involved over 400 meetings and more than 4 000 interviews with parents, teachers and students, and 200 oral and written submissions were received. A comprehensive set of recommendations was presented to the NSW government to improve outcomes for Aboriginal children.” Alan Laughlin was the Deputy Director General (DDG) of Education in the NSW Department of Education and Training. He has held every position from teacher through to the level of DDG in his 40 year career.

With the NSW equine industry given the all-clear following the outbreak of equine flu that threatened the national horse industry, Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Equine Centre is back in business. Centre manager Ms Cheryl Gander is excited to have the Centre up and running again. “The Orange Campus Equine Centre provides the perfect location for students to be involved in all aspects of horse enterprise management, including breeding, training for different disciplines, show and sale preparation, different handling techniques and research,” Ms Gander said. The Centre, which is part of the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, has an indoor and outdoor arena, exercise track, cross country course, treadmill, horse walker, stables, veterinary laboratory and 80 hectares of horse pastures. For enquiries regarding agistment, breeding and facility hire, contact Ms Gander on 02 6365 7850.

Students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) have raised almost $7 000 for charity during Orientation 2008. Students, representing CSU’s student body, recently presented a cheque for over $6 800 to NRMA CareFlight, a rapid response critical care service. CareFlight duty doctor, Dr Andrew Dubky, received the cheque on behalf of the organisation. “Last year students across five CSU campuses raised more than $1 200 for the Salvation Army Drought Appeal," CSU Student Services representative, Ms Jean Ryan said. "Raising such a large sum of money this year was a testament to how hard our continuing students worked during Orientation 2008 while making the first year students feel welcome.”  

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Professor David Kemp has taken another step to ensure agriculturalists and the Orange community are better informed about coping with climate change, especially climate variability and its effects on food security, in a public seminar to be held in Orange on Monday 31 March. “The consequences of variable and changing climates are rising energy and food costs, so much so that in the last nine months another 800 million people couldn’t afford the food they need,” said Professor Kemp. “The recent drought also highlighted the social problems of dealing with variable climates – what are the effects and what needs to be done to better help people?” CSU’s Professor Margaret Alston will be one speaker at the public seminar, entitled ‘Managing Beyond the Panic of Climate Change’. The seminar aims to discuss these interrelated trends – to inform people about likely regional, Australian and international trends, what can be done to adjust to these major trends and what people in central NSW can do to ensure their livelihoods under these changing circumstances. The seminar will be held from 10am on 31 March at the Orange Ex-Services Club, Anson Street, Orange.

Improved understanding of livestock reproductive behaviour is important for optimal animal management, economics and welfare. The theory is that livestock behavioural traits have evolved similarly to physical traits, in response to evolutionary pressures. A public lecture by Professor Peter Chenoweth, from the Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, will look at whether Darwin’s Theory of Evolution can be applied to the modern management of livestock. Only about 6 percent of hoofed animals have ever been domesticated. This figure raises questions as to why are there so relatively few species domesticated, and are certain evolutionary behavioural traits more conducive to domestication than others? The public lecture will also pose the questions as to whether humans chose to domesticate certain species, or vice versa, and can evolution provide guidelines for good livestock management? The lecture will be held from 6.30pm Tuesday 11 March at the Tumbarumba Shire Council Chambers, Bridge Street, Tumbarumba.