Building upon a growing demand for agricultural education at Charles Sturt University (CSU) is the key focus of the new Head of the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Professor Gavin Ash. Deputy Director of the Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Professor Ash specialises in plant pathology, has a strong research background and a long career in agricultural education. Professor Ash said CSU has more than a thousand agricultural undergraduate students and enrolments in the Bachelor of Agricultural Science and Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management have steadily increased. "Students are recognising that there are very good opportunities for agricultural scientists in terms of the diversity of jobs and the remuneration," he said. "Agriculture is a power-house in terms of research at Charles Sturt University and with new facilities we have an opportunity to build our profile, not just in southern NSW but overseas in places like South East Asia."  Professor Ash's research has focused on exploring innovative approaches to the management of diseases, weeds, insects, nematodes and molluscs in annual crops such as wheat, rice, canola and perennial crops such as grapevines. Professor Ash replaces Professor John Mawson who will take up a role of Professor of Food Engineering, working with the Faculty of Science on specific projects.

More than 150 students will start their university studies with Orientation Week at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange next week. 'O-Week' will run from Monday 23 February until Friday 27 February and involve a series of academic and social activities to help familiarise students with university study, their course, peers and campus. "O-Week helps to introduce students from around Australia and overseas to their new lives of study and education in Orange," Head of Campus Dr Heather Robinson said. "The week will feature a combination of serious and social activities for our dentistry, clinical science, physiotherapy, pharmacy, general studies and postgraduate sustainable agriculture students, with local distance education students also invited to join in the fun." More than 2,600 new on-campus students will be welcomed across all CSU campuses for semester one. There will also be O-Week activities for distance education students.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange will host a unique graduation ceremony on Thursday 18 February when approximately 80 primary school students attend Check It Out day. Year 6 students from Bowen and Glenroi Heights Public Schools will spend the day on campus participating in a selection of workshops to give them first-hand experience of university life. "This fun and interactive day, aims to provide students with a university experience," School Outreach Officer Ms Ruth Stone said. "Students participate in two hands-on Faculty-based activities, before exploring the library and ending the day in a mock graduation including a special presentation by a Future Moves leader or CSU Academic." Students will also enjoy a tour of the campus and its facilities and a lunch in the student dining room. "By introducing young people to the world of university study early on, we hope they are encouraged through a positive experience to become more engaged in school studies and more confident in considering tertiary study as a realistic option," Ms Stone said.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will host a public seminar on Wednesday 18 February which will focus on new generation biofuel crops.Unlike earlier generation biofuel crops such as corn or oilseeds that are better used for human consumption, new generation biofuel crops can be grown in harsher environments and provide higher yields of biofuels.Professor Stephen Wratten from Lincoln University, New Zealand will present the seminar at 1pm on the Orange campus. He will profile one crop (giant miscanthus grass) that can produce 30 tonnes of dry matter per hectare; enough to make about 9000 litres of renewable diesel for approximately $1.10 per litre. The grass also provides other benefits such as fodder and windbreak.Professor Wratten is a world-renowned researcher in the biological control of pests based on citation rates, holds three doctorates and professorships, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.The Seminar will be held in the conference room of the Orange campus, Leeds Parade, Orange at 1pm on Wednesday 18 February. No RSVP is necessary.

The Charles Sturt University (CSU) Western New South Wales rugby team will hit their home ground running in the first game of the NSW Junior Gold Cup for 2015.The team will face off against Illawarra at CSU's Orange campus this Saturday, 15 February. The Under 15's will play at 10am, followed by the under 17's.CSU's partnership with the CSU Western NSW team and the CSU NSW Country Eagles is part of the Community-University Partnership (CUP) program – an initiative of CSU's Office of Corporate Affairs. More information is available from the CSU website

Sixteen research participants who suffer with painful diabetic neuropathy are needed for pain relief research by a physiotherapy honours student at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange. Ms Gabrielle Upton said her research in the CSU School of Community Health will be conducted over 27 days in January and February 2015 with the aim to compare the pain relief effects of two different types of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for people with painful diabetic neuropathy. "The participants will have the opportunity to use a pain relief machine (TENS) for a total of 20 days with no cost to them," Ms Upton said. "Subject will be required to attend four appointments at Charles Sturt University in Orange for about 30 minutes each time. During this time it is expected that the subjects' level of pain will reduce. TENS is a safe treatment with minimal risk of adverse effects and can be used for many different types of pain. This is important research and I appreciate any assistance volunteers can provide." Ms Upton's research has CSU Ethics Committee approval and is being closely supervised by three highly qualified and experienced CSU academics. Please contact Ms Gabrielle Upton on 0427 106 498 to discuss eligibility and inclusion criteria.

Head of Campus at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga Ms Miriam Dayhew will take her love of rugby to Orange on Friday 19 September. She will attend the inaugural Orange Rugby Business Network (RBN) event from 1.30pm to 3.30pm at the Union Bank Wine Bar in 84 Byng Street. Ms Dayhew will address the event along with Randwick Rugby Club patron Mr Jeff Sayle, OAM and the CSU NSW Country Eagles President Mr David Carter. Ms Dayhew will also attend the top of competition table clash between the CSU NSW Country Eagles and Melbourne Rising in the National Rugby Championship (NRC) from 3pm at Wade Park in Orange. In August, CSU announced a two year partnership with the Country Eagles in the new NRC.

Students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga, Orange, Port Macquarie and Wagga Wagga will put comfort aside in sleep outs during September to raise money for the not-for-profit organisation, Street Swags. Supported by CSU's Office for Students, the students are supporting Swagtember and the purchase of street swags for people unable to find accommodation. Students are being encouraged to register with Swagtember and get sponsored to spend a night away from home. A range of activities have been organised to keep students entertained throughout the night including music, karaoke, movies, a pillow fight tournament and a barbecue breakfast. The sleep outs will be held from 7.30 pm to 7.30 am starting: - Thursday 18 September, HeBrews Cafe, Munster Street, CSU in Port Macquarie. An outdoor cinema will show three movies during the sleep out.- Thursday 18 September, The Hub, building 20, CSU in Wagga Wagga.- Tuesday 23 September, Learning Teaching Hub, building 754 at CSU in Albury-Wodonga. A free soup dinner will be provided by the Uniting Church group from 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm followed by a guest speaker from Youth Emergency Services to talk about local youth homeless. A Zumba class will be held on Wednesday 24 September from 6.30 am followed by a barbecue breakfast.-  Wednesday 24 September, Templers Mill Bar at CSU in Orange.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange will host a special graduation on Thursday 28 August when approximately 120 primary school students don mortar boards as part of a Check It Out Day.Program coordinator Mr Ben Morris said, "Year 6 students from schools in Wellington, Trangie, Parkes, Dubbo and Peak Hill will spend the day participating in fun and interactive faculty-based workshops and activities to give them first-hand experience of university life. Students will have a tour of the campus and its facilities, explore the library, have lunch in the student dining room, and end the day with a mock graduation including a special presentation by a Future Moves leader or CSU academic." Check It Out Days are part of CSU's Future Moves program, a federally funded initiative run through Charles Sturt University and aligned with the Australian Blueprint for Career Development. They aim to encourage aspiration for higher education among students in rural and remote NSW and Victoria by introducing young people to the world of university study. These students are encouraged through a positive experience to become more engaged in school studies and more confident in considering tertiary study as a realistic option.