Orange primary and high school students will get an insight into science and science careers during Science in the Bush Orange, at Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Friday 2 September. While attending workshops, shows, talks, and the popular Science in the Bush Expo students will use environmental sensors and basic programming to find out how robots work and will watch a laser light show to demonstrate how lasers work. Program coordinator, Ms Catherine Beehag, says, “Science in the Bush is a unique opportunity for school students to engage with scientific ideas that capture their imagination, whether it’s the Charles Sturt University’s Delving Under Your Skin workshop, or the Australian Museum’s Mini-Beasts Magnified”. “The whole program picks up on the recognition that in Australia we must do more to interest kids in science,” says Dean of Science at CSU, Professor Nick Klomp. “We want them to feel the excitement of science and discovery so we can produce our fair share of scientists in inland Australia.” The program has 90 different timetabled activities over two days, and involves local and national scientific organisations.

In recognition of the 2011 'International Year of Chemistry', a public lecture hosted by Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Wagga Wagga City Council will explore how a series of seemingly unrelated chemical discoveries changed the course of history. Professor of Chemistry at Macquarie University in Sydney, Peter Karuso, will trace chemical connections from the humble shipworm to the discovery of antibiotics. "I'm hoping to show people how important chemistry is to their lives by showing how chemical discoveries have changed the course of history over and over again," he said. "Chemistry is so interesting and so powerful that it deserves the best and brightest minds. I hope in some small way to inspire young people and their parents to take an interest in things chemical as I am sure that chemistry will be at the heart of solutions to many of our current and future problems."

The largest-ever group of Charles Sturt University (CSU) students and staff will provide physiotherapy and first aid services during the 2011 Tour de Timor, which commences from the capital of Timor-Leste, Dili, on Sunday 11 September. Six CSU physiotherapy and three nursing students and three staff will follow the Tour ‘peloton’ for six days around the mountainous, 600 kilometre course, providing medical services for tired, sore or injured riders. The CSU coordinator, Mr Tim Retchford, said the CSU students will gain valuable professional experience “while working in challenging conditions in a beautiful, though undeveloped, country”. This is the third time CSU students have provided these services during the Tour de Timor. The students and staff leave for Dili on Sunday 4 September to prepare themselves and riders for the event, as well as visiting local medical facilities. Meanwhile, PhD student at CSU in Wagga Wagga, Ms Nicola Wunderlich will take leave during her research in East Timor to cycle in the 2011 Tour De Timor. Read more on CSU News here.

Hair, eyebrows and beards were bleached and coloured at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Orange and Wagga Wagga on Friday 26 August all in the name of raising money for cancer research and patient support. The activities, held at CSU in support of Daffodil Day, raised nearly $2 400 for the NSW Cancer Council. The fundraising was organised by Charles Sturt Campus Services and the Residential Support Scheme at CSU. “There is a competitive streak between staff across the University so we organised a ‘fund-off’ to raise money for the Cancer Council. A total of $510.25 was raised at CSU in Albury-Wodonga, $841.65 in Bathurst and $1 030.70 was raised in Wagga Wagga,” said Ms Vanessa Conlin, a Residential Operations Officer.  In addition to the temporary ‘hair salons’ for the bleaching and colourings, staff also sold daffodils and pins in support of the annual Daffodil Day event.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic Dr Jane Mills will challenge current education methods with her public talk on Friday 9 September. Titled “Hollywood for Homework: you must be joking! The place of popular cinema in the classroom”, Dr Mills’ lecture will argue that the opportunity to learn how to be ‘screen literate’ is as much a democratic right as is learning how to read and write. For some years now the associate professor at CSU’s School of Communication and Creative Industries has been encouraging schools to include screen literacy in the classroom and this means encouraging students to look at Hollywood films for homework.  In this lecture she explores if there’s a conflict between classroom practice and official definitions of literacy.  “The current literacy testing system promotes the denigration of the image and the idealisation of the word, which creates problems for teachers and students when the image, especially the moving image, is used for teaching,” Dr Mills said.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo will play host to a special NAIDOC Day celebration on Wednesday 21 September. The NAIDOC Day event hosted by the Barraamielinga Indigenous Student Services Unit will see invited community groups and community members such as the Dubbo Senior College ‘Indigenous Youth Leadership’ Scholars attend a BBQ lunch with the day themed Change: The next step is ours. Entertainment will feature award winning blues artist and 2011 Deadly Award nominee Buddy Knox and the Buddy Knox Blues Band, as well as local talent and 2011 Nanga Mai award winner Mr Kodi Lane. “It’s events like these that remind us of our heritage and celebrate our achievements as a community and as a nation,” said CSU Student Services Office team leader Mr Laurie Crawford. “We invite anyone to come along and enjoy the day.”

The annual SPRUNG Festival of performances and multi-media productions by final-year theatre/media students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) kicks off in Bathurst on Wednesday evening 14 September. Festival spokesperson, Ms Phoebe Lane, said, “The SPRUNG Festival seeks to engage the local community by demonstrating a commitment to artistic innovation by providing high quality entertainment. This year the festival features two theatre shows, a hip-hop comedy, a flash animation film, a children’s touring show, a physical theatre piece, an arts publication, and a documentary on a community project with Kelso Community Centre. Everyone is welcome.” The SPRUNG Festival is presented by CYLE Productions and the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst. The official festival launch will be held at the Ponton Theatre at CSU at 6.45pm on Wednesday 14 September, and runs to Saturday 1 October.

What do physical theatre, touring theatre for young people, and outdoor satirical hip-hop theatre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) all have in common? They are dynamic theatre forms featured in the coming SPRUNG Festival and supervised by newly-appointed lecturer in theatre/media, Mr Daniel Aubin, a former Canadian national gymnast who recently joined the School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst. “These three exciting major works by our third year students will surprise and captivate audiences,” Mr Aubin said. “All productions demonstrate a high level of technical skill and imagination, and integrate all three years in the course.” The productions include Level 101 (physical theatre), Health Havoc (touring theatre for young people), and The 7PM Projects (an outdoor satirical hip-hop theatre). Mr Aubin has been a performing artist, theatre director and educator for over 15 years in Europe, North America, and Australasia. His experience ranges from stunt-doubling for US actor Mark Wahlberg and corporate leadership programs, to theatre, film, festivals, special events and circus. He has taught physical theatre, clown and acrobatics at Flinders University, Adelaide College of the Arts, and for the Australian Dance Theatre.

Regional engagement will be the topic for discussion when Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Mr John Nolan addresses the 2011 Australian Local Government Aboriginal Network Conference in Dubbo on Thursday 15 September. As community relations officer for CSU’s Centre for Indigenous Studies, Mr Nolan is passionate about regional engagement. “My lineage is part Wangkumarra northwest of Bourke, and Wiradjuri on my father’s side,” Mr Nolan explains. “After spending the first nine years of my life living in railway tents, I moved into one of the first homes built in Dubbo by the Aborigines Welfare Board in 1955.” After finishing his schooling in Dubbo, Mr Nolan worked in positions with the NSW Aboriginal Lands Trust and Aboriginal Development Commission and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission before following his other passion, teaching, which saw him working at primary and secondary schools in Dubbo, Alice Springs and Yuendumu in the Northern Territory. “I’ve certainly seen how beneficial regional engagement is in large communities. I hope to pass my knowledge on at the Conference.”