Australian scholar, poet, translator and artist Dr Christopher (Kit) Kelen is the second writer-in-residence at the Booranga Writers’ Centre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga. Apart from poetry, Dr Kelen publishes in a range of theoretical areas including writing pedagogy, ethics, rhetoric, cultural and literary studies. For the last 11 years, he has taught Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Macau in southern China. Dr Kelen will give a poetry reading, writers’ workshop and talk about his exhibition of paintings, as to the ladders of whichway - first rungs, which is on display at the H R Gallop Gallery at CSU in Wagga Wagga.

Grounds staff at Charles Sturt University (CSU) eagerly await the new-look business awards in Wagga Wagga later this month. CSU has been named as one of the finalists in the 2012 Crow Awards, hosted by the Wagga Business Chamber, on Friday 18 May. The staff have been nominated for a new category of Disability Employer of the Year. In the University’s Division of Facilities Management, the grounds and janitor staff, are responsible for the upkeep of approximately 200 buildings as well as facilities, such as sports ovals, gardens and lawns at CSU in Wagga Wagga. Campus Services Manager at CSU in Wagga Wagga Mr Terry O’Meara said, “We have actively sought out staff with disabilities for employment within our group. Morale and work performance appears to be higher as the group has genuinely put time into training the new staff and ensuring we have a cohesive team.”

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher has been appointed to a new position to help her colleagues tackle the world of electronic research. Ms Penny Cooke is the University’s new eResearch Analyst for Intersect,  the peak body in NSW to coordinate expertise in electronic Research for NSW universities and public and private sector research agencies. In the increasingly globalised world of research, Intersect aims to increase the quality, efficiency and visibility of NSW based research. CSU joined Intersect in early 2012. Director of Research at CSU, Associate Professor Andrea Bishop said, "Charles Sturt University is keen to deepen its relationship with Intersect, particularly to pursue larger collaborative projects that address the needs of rural and regional researchers. As our eResearch Analyst, Penny is now the primary link between Charles Sturt University and Intersect.” Ms Cooke’s role includes advice and support for CSU researchers using eResearch; access to Intersect services; and access to and advocacy in the various national eResearch bodies.

Up to 200 adults and 100 youths are expected to converge on Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Sunday 30 January to compete in the second Come and Try Triathlon. The event is run by the Wagga Triants Triathlon Club and aims to introduce newcomers to the sport, but also provides serious competitors with a challenging event. Event organiser, Mr Stephen Trevaskis received very positive feedback from previous race competitors. He believes that the CSU campus provides a safe option for the younger competitors, and that the popularity of the event is likely due to setting slightly shorter distances which make it more accessible for beginners. Mr Trevaskis expressed appreciation for the support from CSU and the efforts of Manager of Campus Services, Mr Terry O’Meara, and his team, for preparations for this year’s event.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) staff and students are being encouraged to express on film their ideas for environmental sustainability. The Eco Literacy Film Festival aims to showcase short, three-minute films exploring how the University can reduce its environmental footprint in areas of biodiversity, energy and transport, waste water and pollution, and food and produce. Festival Co-ordinator, Ms Natasha Hard said a total of $6 000 in prizes is on offer and the films will be shown in an online and on campus film festival later in the year. “Anyone who has a phone can make a film and make a difference,” she said. “By celebrating some of the great things being done and highlighting new opportunities, we hope to support interest and action in the area of sustainability across Charles Sturt University.” The festival is funded by a grant from CSU Green. Entries close at 11.59pm on Friday 6 July. Read more about the Eco Literacy Film Festival here.

At first glance mistletoe might seem to be a destructive weed but Charles Sturt University (CSU) ecologist Associate Professor David Watson will explore the role the parasitic plant plays in promoting biodiversity at a seminar in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 2 May. The National Wine and Grape Industry Centre at CSU in Wagga Wagga will host the seminar titled, Parasitic plants as drivers of ecological communities: patterns, predictions, processes. In his presentation, Professor Watson will pull together a decade of research on mistletoe ecology in southern Australia. “The word parasite has nasty connotations to it but rather than being negative or even neutral, in natural systems parasitic plants may be disproportionately important to biodiversity,” he said. “This may provide land managers with a new tool to boost the value of remnant habitats for wildlife and maximise ecosystem functionality in modified landscapes.”

Three universities in New South Wales will bring an information road show about going to university to regional schools to give senior high school students a better understanding of tertiary education. The University Road Show comprises Charles Sturt University (CSU), Southern Cross University and the University of New England. Students will get the chance to discover more about university life and potential career paths when the University Road Show visits schools in the New England, North Coast, Hunter, Central West and Blue Mountains regions during March. Now in its tenth year, the University Road Show will visit more schools than ever before, sharing information with around 5 000 students at 120 schools. CSU Prospective Student Adviser Ms Katy Fardell said, “By pooling resources, Charles Sturt University, Southern Cross University and the University of New England are able to provide excellent advice to students in one visit, maximising the study options presented to students while minimising the amount of time students need to be away from the classroom.”

A charity to support the families of children receiving medical treatment in Wagga Wagga will benefit from the generosity of construction workers from the National Life Sciences Hub project at Charles Sturt University (CSU). The project’s contractor, Joss Construction will donate $2 500 to Ronald McDonald House Wagga Wagga at 10am on Monday 7 May. The money has been raised by gold coin donations during fortnightly barbecues involving Joss Construction and sub-contractors working on the large complex since late 2010. Joss Construction hosted the regular barbecues to coincide with Site Safety Meetings. The $45 million National Life Sciences Hub is due to be handed over to the University’s Faculty of Science by July. It includes teaching laboratories, a research complex, glasshouses and controlled environment facilities for plant growth. The project has been jointly funded by the Federal Government as part of the Education Investment Fund and CSU.

New research led by Charles Sturt University (CSU) aims to learn more about alcohol and drug use by workers in Australia’s agricultural and fishing industries. Research leader Dr Julaine Allan, from CSU’s Centre for Inland Health and a Senior Research Fellow at the Lyndon Community, an alcohol and other drugs service in western NSW, said, “The research aims to gauge the extent of substance use, assess the safety implications, and understand and help ease the stresses that may lead workers to take alcohol and drugs.   We want to speak to people who work in the agricultural and fishing industries throughout regional Australia, confidentially and without prejudice. We would also like to interview their family members, and community leaders in the relevant regional areas.”