Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Professor of Hydrology, Shahbaz Khan has been presented the highly prestigious Biennial Medal from the Modelling and Simulation Society for Australia and New Zealand (MSSANZ) at a gala dinner in Christchurch New Zealand. The Biennial Medal for Natural Systems goes go to outstanding contributors to modelling and simulation over a sustained period and who have a record of service to the Society. Medallists automatically become Fellows of the MSSANZ. They are recognised for their unselfish dedication to the aims of the Society as well as for their contributions to modelling and simulation. Professor Khan, who’s also with CSIRO Land and Water, leads the Rural Water Use research stream for Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, is Director of the International Centre of WATER for Food Security at CSU and Regional Coordinator UNESCO IHP-HELP. Professor Khan says "the award is a great recognition of the end user driven development and application of innovative systems linking viable production, sustainable environment and real people to help solve real problems in real catchments."

The NSW Government has been successful in encouraging one of the world’s ‘best and brightest’ minds to relocate to inland NSW to carry out innovative research into the development of natural herbicides. Professor Leslie Weston, from Cornell University, one of the United State’s premier research universities, will relocate to the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Wagga Wagga Campus under the government’s Life Science Research Awards. The NSW Minister for Science and Medical Research, Ms Verity Firth said, “Professor Weston is a recognised leader in her field of research and her relocation to the state is a major scientific coup and will cement NSW at the leading edge of scientific research into natural herbicides.” CSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research), Professor Paul Burnett has welcomed Professor Weston’s move, stating it is a fantastic outcome for the University. The EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation is a collaborative alliance between CSU and the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) research team from the Centre for Inland Health is investigating ways of providing health and veterinary education and services in the community, through university clinics involving students of health and veterinary disciplines practicing under supervision. Educators, students, practitioners and community members with an interest or experience in this area are invited to make written submissions. The submissions must include a brief description of your current role and interest in university clinics. They must address a short discussion of the problems, solutions or benefits in areas such as Community – how would a local university clinic affect local health and veterinary service provision, Education - how would a university clinic affect health and veterinary education for students and educators and Sustainability -  how can university clinics be sustained in your area. Submissions are confidential and should not exceed three pages.

A breeding, teaching and research program involving the Connemara Pony has been given a healthy start thanks to the generous donation to Charles Sturt University (CSU) by Brisbane businessman, Bill Concannon. His three year old mare, Siobhan, has been delivered to the CSU Equine Centre on the Wagga Wagga Campus. A member of the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society of Australia, Mr Concannon recently visited CSU to inspect Siobhan who will be joined with a Connemara stallion in 2008. The compact size, good temperament and marketability of the Connemara Pony make the breed ideal for the needs of CSU’s equine science and veterinary science students. In welcoming the new links between the University and the Society, equine science course coordinator, Mr Hunter Doughty, has praised the generosity of Mr Concannon and his support for the University. The Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society is establishing a fund to support research and education through the Charles Sturt Foundation to aid in education of their members and to support equine student scholarships.

Strong demand for a one-day seminar at the National Library of Australia (NLA) on Web 2.0 and its potential for the library community has seen the event’s audio recording placed online. The conference on the potential of the new generation of online technologies attracted interest from across Australia. This led organisers from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Information Studies to ‘podcast’ the event held recently in Canberra. “The event filled within hours of the registration process going online. With an impressive selection of speakers and demand for the event from across the country, we decided to record the presentations and make the audio available over the web to encourage its use in professional development,” said CSU lecturer Mr Jake Wallis. The audio is available here.

The reported link between the suicide rate amongst farmers and the drought is often based on hearsay, according to Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic, Dr Judith Crockett. The lecturer in social sustainability, from the School of Rural Management on CSU’s Orange Campus says that while the tragedy of suicide must not be downplayed and undoubtedly continues to be of major concern, many of these comments are based on hearsay. However, there is a lack of evidence concerning the actual rate of suicide in rural areas linked to the drought. “What is clear is that an early intervention approach linked to improved referral pathways to care is the most effective way of assisting rural people. The Drought Mental Health Assistance Package, funded by the NSW Government, has resulted in the implementation of a multifaceted approach across rural areas to increase the capacity of individuals, communities and service providers in drought affected areas to deal with mental health issues and to encourage practices that promote mental well-being,” said Dr Crockett. “Extensive evaluation of the program shows very positive results, including helping to reduce the stigma of mental illness in rural communities.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) Chancellor, Mr Lawrence Willett, AO, will officiate at the launch of The Centre for Inland Health (CIH) and the Inland Health Foundation (IHF) on Monday 10 December on the CSU Bathurst Campus. CIH Director Dr Rod Pope explained that the Centre is based on a model that “involves academics from all campuses who participate in research and development in the four CSU faculties – Arts, Business, Education and Science – to serve the shared vision of health for our inland communities. It builds linkages between staff from various CSU Schools, Centres and Groups and links them with service providers, government agencies and community representatives for research and development, rather than operating as a discrete grouping of academics focused on either research or teaching and learning,” Dr Pope said. The Inland Health Foundation is being established to fund the Centre’s work through donations.

Community support is growing for Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Centre for Inland Health initiative, which was established in response to the existing lack of information and realistic solutions to meet the health needs of inland Australian communities. Riverina identity and past president of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) Ms Elaine Armstrong congratulated CSU for the initiative to present the health symposium, Planning Together for the Future and the launch of the Centre on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 December. “The workshops offered are of special interest to women and their families in this region as they cover areas such as lung health, muscle, bone and joint health, life with cancer, health workforce and services, heart health, ageing and health and mental health,” said Ms Armstrong. “Of special interest is the symposium on mental health, because of the extended drought conditions which are causing stress and anxiety for families. Anxiety in younger farmers is another major issue, with statistics showing that men aged 30 to 45 years and living in rural and remote areas, are at risk of mental breakdowns and suicides.”  

Charles Sturt University (CSU) theatre/media student, Mr Adam Deusien will be heading to Brisbane in January 2008 to take-up a prestigious six-month internship with the Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre company. Adam is the first CSU student to win one of the highly contested internships with Zen Zen Zo. He will specialise in Viewpoints, a technique taught to him at weekly workshops since April by Ms Fiona Green, associate lecturer at the School of Communication at CSU’s Bathurst Campus, and Ms Margie Breen, Performing Arts Producer/Animateur at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre. Ms Green said, “Adam is a dedicated and motivated student who has the talent and drive to succeed in a difficult industry. We’ve told him to dream big and that’s just what he’s done.” Mr Deusien will undertake a rigorous training program with 13 other interns from around Australia and then perform in a company production at the end of the internship. He will then return to Bathurst to finish his degree and conduct workshops with theatre/media students in 2008.