Starting school can be exciting and, perhaps, a little scary – and that’s just for parents. Two senior education researchers at Charles Sturt University (CSU) have developed guidelines to help parents, teachers and children as they start school. “Starting school is an important milestone in the lives of children and families. If children have a successful start to school, they are likely to stay connected to school and regard it as a positive place to be,” says Professor Bob Perry from CSU. Drawing on over 15 years of research, Professor Perry and Professor Sue Dockett, who research and teach at the University’s Murray School of Education, have led the way for parents and teachers on how to help all involved feel competent and confident when children start school.

Academics from Charles Sturt University (CSU) will take part in the Orange Relay For Life taking place on Saturday 13 March. Team captain and CSU lecturer in the School of Biomedical Science, Dr James Wickham, says he was impressed by the speed in which staff members put their hand up to take part. “Charles Sturt University has been involved in Relay For Life in the past and everyone who walks always enjoys themselves,” he said. “It’s a fantastic cause and a great way to celebrate with those who have battled cancer and survived.” With 14 staff members in the team, CSU will be recognisable on the track with caps and ties. “We thought we’d have an ‘academic’ theme,” Dr Wickham said. Relay For Life is an overnight, community event where teams participate in a relay-style walk or run to raise funds for the Cancer Council. The event brings the whole community together for a night of fun, entertainment, celebration and remembrance. “The University team hopes to raise more than $2 000 for the cause,” Dr Wickham said.

The collaboration between Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Orange and local small schools has produced a successful series of science demonstrations over the past year. The latest school to benefit from the academic knowledge at CSU was Cumnock Public School, with 18 students in Years 4, 5 and 6 visiting the Orange Campus last week for a three-hour demonstration titled ‘Introduction to Micro-organisms’. “The Charles Sturt University academics offer a great hands-on and expert component that isn't always easy to achieve in schools,” said Cumnock Public School teacher Alison Croker.“It was a great experience and one we're very keen to do again.” CSU School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences academics Mr Peter Mills, Dr Yann Guisard, Dr Scott Andrew and Mr Peter Anderson gave the students an understanding of fungi, viruses and bacteria with practical experiments.

The football (soccer) coach at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Orange believes the change in demographics at the campus has contributed to the team playing in the Orange District A Grade Competition grand final this Saturday 26 September. Dr Scott Andrew, lecturer at the School of Biomedical Sciences said, "There are definitely more students to select from this year and it has improved our source of players." This is the third year that CSU at Orange has fielded a side in the men’s A Grade competition and the second year for the women's team. Another factor that has helped develop the team has been the new multi-purpose field at CSU’s Orange Campus. “Full flood lighting will be erected around the field next year so we can play night games,” Dr Andrew said. The CSU Orange team is made up of students and two University academics, and is sponsored by Hotel Orange and Hogan’s Pharmacy.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will be well represented at a key international event for developers and IT professionals in June. The week-long Apple World-Wide Developers Conference 2009 (WWDC) will be held in San Francisco, California,from Monday 8 June,and third year Bachelor of Computer Science (Games Technology) student Mr David Winder, from Bathurst, has won a $3 200 Apple University Consortium (AUC) Competitive Student Scholarship to attend. “To be able to meet and communicate with some of the leading intellects in the industry is extremely exciting,” said Mr Winder. He’ll be joining CSU PhD student Mr James Bekkema who received a two year AUC Student Developer Scholarship in 2008 to attend the same event. “The conference is vital for those who work or study in the computer industry as the sessions provide incredibly valuable information on the current and future state of software technologies, such as OpenCL and ‘Grand Central’,” said Mr Bekkema, who is also based in Bathurst. “However one of the most important aspects of WWDC is the networking. I have met extremely talented developers and have made valuable contacts within the industry.”

The war against weeds in the NSW Central West continues and one Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher is determined to help win the battle. A dominant weed in the region is serrated tussock, one of Australia's most noxious weeds estimated to cost NSW farmers more than $40 million each year in lost production. Dr Aaron Simmons from the University’s School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences will be talking at regional meetings organised by the NSW/ACT Serrated Tussock Working Party about results from research conducted over the past four years by researchers at CSU and the NSW Department of Primary Industries. “The research has been used to improve current guidelines on best management practice for controlling serrated tussock in native pastures,“ Dr Simmons says. “'Serrated tussock has no boundaries - it is not just a 'farmer's' problem, it's an environmental problem that belongs to the whole community.“

Residents of Albury-Wodonga are urged to think about their health and take advantage of free blood pressure checks being offered by Charles Sturt University (CSU) nursing students as part of Wodonga Library’s Health Week promotion from Monday 27 April to Saturday 2 May. A group of CSU nursing students, under the supervision of lecturer Ms Sharon Laver, have volunteered their time during the University’s mid-semester break to take blood pressure of residents, while allied health students including speech therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists will talk about promoting good health. The students and academics will also provide course information to people interested in a career in health through the CSU Faculty of Science.

The advertising course at Charles Sturt University (CSU) is now fully accredited by the national industry body, the Media Federation of Australia (MFA). Associate Professor Rod McCulloch, Head of the CSU School of Communication and advertising course coordinator, said “This is great news for the University and our students, and is a tribute to the hard work of Mr David Maxwell, lecturer in advertising at CSU, who made it happen. It means that the overarching national body of advertising media professionals in Australia recognises and endorses the course, and this ensures that CSU is a leading provider of job-ready professionals who can work anywhere in Australia or the world. In line with the speed of change media is experiencing, our advertising course is going from strength to strength, and our students are prepared for exciting roles in a dynamic and challenging economic climate where advertisers increasingly seek more bang for their bucks. The accreditation of the course adds a level of certainty to our students’ and graduates’ prospects.”

Veterinary science facilities at Charles Sturt University (CSU) and collaborative research in animal production and health have recently been given a vote of confidence during a key visit to Wagga Wagga. The support for facilities, research and diagnostic scientists came from the Board of Animal Health Australia, a not-for-profit public company established by government and major national livestock industry organisations. The visit in early April included meetings with the Director of the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Professor Deirdre Lemerle, Head of the CSU School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Professor Kym Abbott, as well as Professor of Veterinary Parasitology, Professor Terry Spithill, and Professor of Veterinary Pathobiology, Professor Nicholas Sangster, who organised the visit. “The Board was particularly interested in the construction of the University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory,” said Professor Abbott. “The laboratory will make a critical contribution to the Australian Animal Health Laboratory Network, by virtue of its location, facilities, staff and the opportunities it will offer to educate the next generation of veterinary pathobiologists.” Ongoing discussions are planned between Animal Health Australia and CSU during the $8.2 million construction of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory during 2009.