Dr Heather Robinson has been welcomed by the Vice-Chancellor of Charles Sturt University (CSU) in her new appointment as Head of the Orange Campus. CSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Goulter said, “I have much pleasure in announcing that Dr Heather Robinson has been appointed Head of the Orange Campus of Charles Sturt University. Heather will hold this appointment concurrently with the position of Associate Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences. I congratulate Heather on her appointment and look forward to working with her in this role.” Dr Robinson, who has worked at CSU in Orange  for the past six years, is keen to build on the relationship between the University and the community. “I believe it’s important to retain the history of the campus, but it’s also exciting to see health courses strengthening. The potential of a medical school is a natural progression for the Orange Campus and would further increase Charles Sturt University’s contribution to the community and regional Australia as a whole.”

During International Year of Chemistry 2011, the role chemistry plays in telling us about changes in the world around us is the focus of a seminar at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Monday 18 July. The seminar, entitled Chemistry in the real world – from nanotechnology to freshwater ecology, will showcase research in chemistry in the University’s School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences. Senior lecturer Dr Paul Prenzler said the study of chemistry helps us to have a better understanding of what is happening in the real world. “Underlying our health as humans and the health of the environment around us are chemical processes that can take place at very small or ‘nano’ levels or large scales, such as water quality in rivers,” he said. The seminar will discuss antioxidants and human health, river and soil health, along with wine colour and quality.

A national conference for Australian pharmacy students will be held at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga in 2012. Members of the University’s student club, Pharmers' Society  won a competitive bid to host the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association or NAPSA Congress in January 2012. “Our successful bid to host this national event is sweetened by the fact this is the first time the annual NAPSA conference will be held in a regional centre,” fourth year CSU pharmacy student Mr Sean Dodd said. “We are very proud that the event will be held in inland Australia. It is a vote of confidence in those of us that choose to live, study and ultimately pursue our chosen profession in regional Australia to improve health services,” pharmacy student Ms Amy Minett said. “The work has now begun to stage a relevant and cutting edge conference in Wagga Wagga for more than 200 students from 13 universities,” Mr Dodd said. Head of CSU’s School of Biomedical Sciences Associate Professor Lyndall Angel said, “Again the pharmacy students at Charles Sturt University have shone and shown their maturity and dedication to serve rural and regional Australia”. Read more about the NAPSA Congress Wagga Wagga 2012  here.

Students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange and Wagga Wagga will receive state-wide rural scholarships from the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) of NSW Foundation. Four CSU students from Orange and seven from Wagga Wagga are among almost 40 people from across NSW who will receive a scholarship, each valued at between $1 500 and $5 000 . The scholarships are awarded by the Foundation to students who ‘demonstrate a passion for rural issues and the determination to make a difference’. A ceremony will be held on Thursday 21 July from 6pm at CSU in Wagga Wagga where RAS Foundation director Mr John B Fairfax, AO, will present the scholarships to local students. A similar ceremony was held in Orange on Thursday 14 July.

The biology behind the current obesity epidemic in the Western world will be explored by Dr Wouter Kalle from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Biomedical Sciences at a public lecture titled ‘Evolution, genetics and psychology: the holistic view on obesity’ on Friday 22 July. “It is amazing to see how the evolution of the human brain has given enormous advantages to the species but also how these advantages can lead to health problems in certain social and cultural settings,” Dr Kalle said. The lecture will cover the basics of human evolution and genetics. Including examples and stories, the lecture will also go into the specifics of the development of human nutrition and human food patterns before finally touching on obesity and its biological ‘triggers’. Dr Kalle jokes, “Unfortunately this lecture will not give an easy slimming solution”.

Australian insects and their relationship with eucalypt trees is part of Ms Anamika Sharma’s studies for her PhD in entomology at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange. Originally from a city in Rajasthan in India, Ms Sharma has always been fascinated with insects and their role in the environment. “I used to work at a forest institute so I have a vast knowledge of trees and insects but this is the first time I’ve worked with Eucalypts and Australian insects so I have a lot to learn.” Ms Sharma will work with academics at CSU and staff at the Orange Agricultural Institute to put together a proposal for her research. “It’s a matter of narrowing down my research to one or two specific species of insects and their relationship with one or two species of Eucalyptus. Then I hope to study their physiological, chemical and molecular interaction to help develop some resistant species of eucalypts.” Ms Sharma has left behind a close family including two elder brothers but is enjoying her time in Orange. “It’s a beautiful place.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange will launch its first Equestrian Club to celebrate the horse’s birthday on Monday 1 August. The manager of the CSU Equine Management Centre, Ms Cheryl Gander has invited people from around Orange to join. “There are many Orange residents who love horses and use our facilities regularly so I’m hoping they will join the club along with Charles Sturt University students.” Ms Gander says the horse’s birthday is always the first day of August in the southern hemisphere so that horses’ ages can be standardised for comparison because of the historical lack of records of actual birth days. “We like to celebrate their day by giving each horse at the Equine Centre extra feed, an apple each and a lot of attention.” To join the CSU Equestrian Club, contact Ms Gander on (02) 6365 7850.

The expenses of attending university have been demystified in a new booklet published by Charles Sturt University (CSU), giving students the power of understanding when it comes to their study options. CSU’s Student Equity and diversity officer, Ms Carissa Perkins is excited to launch the publication. “The Making University Affordable booklet was developed by Charles Sturt University to instil a sense of empowerment, arming students with the knowledge they need to plan and succeed at university,” Ms Perkins said. “Making University Affordable addresses the costs to consider when thinking about further study and how to plan for them, and demonstrates how attending university increases future job prospects and earning capacity. The booklet helps, no matter what life stage students are in. Whether they are a school leaver, wanting a change of career, are returning to work or looking at increasing their skills, this booklet aims to inform those who presently feel future study is beyond their means by showing them practical and achievable ways they can make it happen.”

An animal science student at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga has been named as a finalist in a national meat judging competition. Seven agricultural, animal and veterinary science students represented CSU at the annual Intercollegiate Meat Judging (ICMJ) competition in Armidale from Tuesday 5 to Saturday 9 July. During the grading of beef, lamb and pork carcases and retail cuts, the CSU side competed with teams from other Australian universities as well as top teams from USA and Japan. “This provided an excellent opportunity for Charles Sturt University students to network with students from other universities interested in the production of high quality meat to the domestic and export markets,” said lecturer in animal production with the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Dr Belinda King. Two of the seven CSU students made it into the final round. “However, after an excellent oral presentation, Ms Naomi Hobson was one of the 10 students named as finalists and selected for further training with Meat Standards Australia. She now can win a place in the Australian team to complete in the ICMJ competition in USA in January 2012.”