Charles Sturt University (CSU) is igniting the interest of keen young minds about an exciting career in science and technology. The Siemens Science Experience will be held over three days at the CSU Wagga Wagga Campus from Wednesday 16 January to Friday 18 January 2008. Twenty-two Year 10 students from across inland NSW will attend workshops designed to show them about the possibilities of science and technology as a career. The event will also demonstrate, through a range of interesting activities, that a career in science and technology can be rewarding and that people working in these fields enjoy it. The Siemens Science Experience is a national event run at 32 universities across Australia.

Interested in acquiring the skill of wine and food matching? Want to know how to design a dinner party menu with wines that match, or just be able to order a wine to compliment your meal at a restaurant? Dr Anthony Saliba, a Sensory Scientist with the NWGIC, located on Charles Sturt University (CSU) Wagga Wagga Campus, will pass on his knowledge and understanding of why certain wine and foods compliment each other and the key mistakes consumers often make when selecting wine for this purpose. The wine and food matching workshop will be held at one of Wagga's top restaurants, The Three Chefs, on Tuesday 25 September and will include a seven course dinner and CSU wines to match each course.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is providing excellence in education for Riverina business managers through a series of workshops to develop and improve their businesses. A recent two-day workshop, run by the University’s Professional Development Unit in partnership with accounting firm Paisley Robertson and the ANZ Bank, covered such topics as how to attract more customers, how to increase sales and improve cash-flow, developing a compelling vision, planning for business success, how to differentiate your business in the market and how to find more time for the things you love to do, including how to create greater harmony and balance in your life. Comments from those who attended ranged from”brilliant” to ”a dynamic workshop that is a must-attend for everyone who owns a small business”. As a result CSU plans to run more workshops in 2008.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) have extended condolences to the Drayton family over the tragic death of Mr Trevor Drayton who was killed in an explosion at the Drayton Family Winery at Pokolbin in the NSW Hunter Valley on Thursday 17 January 2008. Professor Thomas Henick-Kling, Director, National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, says Mr Drayton was a highly respected leader of the Australian wine industry who will be sadly missed by all who knew and worked with him. His knowledge and experience was a wonderful resource for the national wine industry. Mr Drayton contributed to the research activities of the NWGIC and his input will be missed but not forgotten. CSU and the NWGIC also expresses condolences to the family of a second man, Mr Edgar Orgo, also killed in the tragic incident, and hopes for a full and speedy recovery of Mr William Rikard-Bell, a graduate of CSU in 2006 with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Wine Science), who was injured in the conflagration.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) and National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) sensory scientist Anthony Saliba will present his latest research on consumer wine preferences when he attends the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research and Tamar Ridge Estates Vineyard Field Day. The field day, to be held on Wednesday 23 January, will highlight recent research in the viticulture industry, with a number of Tasmanian researchers also speaking to wine makers and industry representatives. Professor Saliba, who is based at the NWGIC on CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus, will talk about his research into consumer preferences for wine flavours, which will influence future trends and innovations in Australian wine production.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is mourning the death of one of its founding fathers, Mr Peter Hastie, who passed away on Tuesday 29 January at Eltham Lodge in Victoria at the age of 79. Mr Hastie was appointed on 16 October 1969 as Chairman of the Interim Council of the Riverina College of Advanced Education (RCAE), and then as Chairman of the Council until 30 June 1982. At the time, he was the longest serving Chairman of the governing body of an institute of higher education in New South Wales. Under his Chairmanship, RCAE grew from a small single-purpose institution, with fewer than 450 students, to the ninth largest College of Advanced Education in Australia. Mr Hastie was also a driving force behind the relocation of the former Wagga Teachers’ College to land adjoining the Wagga Agricultural College. The CSU Boorooma site stands as direct evidence of Mr Hastie’s vision, energy and insight. The Peter Hastie Ovals, located at the CSU Wagga Wagga Campus, were named in his honour on 21 October 1992. A funeral service for Mr Peter Hastie will be held at the Le Pine Chapel at Eltham, Victoria, on Monday 4 February commencing at 12 noon. Mr Hastie is survived by daughters Janet Twigden, Fiona Cropley and son Warwick Hastie.

More than 500 mourners have attended a memorial service at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Wagga Wagga Campus on Monday 4 February to honour former Chancellor, Dr David Asimus, AO, who died on Australia Day 2008. Moving tributes to Dr Asimus were delivered in eulogies from Ian Macintosh, Ian Sully and son-in-law James Sutherland. The congregation included the Hon. Kay Hull, federal Member for Riverina; The Hon. Daryl McGuire, NSW Member for Wagga; John Fairfax, Chairman, Fairfax Media, the Hon. Tim Fischer, Former Deputy Prime Minister; The Rev. Archbishop Francis Carroll, Catholic Bishop of Canberra; Mr Lawrie Willet AO, Chancellor CSU and Mr James Sutherland, CEO Cricket Australia. Dr Asimus was elected the foundation Chancellor of CSU in 1989 and served in this post until 2002. As Chancellor, he oversaw the integration of the Riverina-Murray Institute of Higher Education and Mitchell College of Advanced Education to form the new Charles Sturt University.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) researchers and staff will consider the latest results of a program that aims to strengthen the cultural knowledge and educational achievements of Indigenous youth in inland NSW. Tirkandi Inaburra is an Aboriginal community-controlled initiative that looks to reduce the risk of 12 to 15 year old Aboriginal boys, from south western NSW, which includes the Riverina, becoming involved in the criminal justice system. The program, which commenced in 2005, is being evaluated by a team that includes Ms Elizabeth Moore from CSU’s Institute for Land, Water and Society and is led by Dr Catherine Spooner from the University of NSW. Dr Spooner will outline the research project and the challenges in evaluating it at a meeting to be held on CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus on Wednesday 23 January.

New Charles Sturt University (CSU) students living off campus will receive a helping hand in the initial challenging weeks of university life. First trialled in 2007, a mentor scheme aims to help new students settle into University and their accommodation in the wider community. The Off campus Student Community Advisors (OSCA) Scheme will be trialled on CSU’s Bathurst and Wagga Wagga campuses during the first six weeks of the 2008 Autumn Session. “This scheme mirrors the long running and highly successful Residential Advisers (RA) scheme for students living on campus,” said OSCA supervisor Chris Roche. “It will help new students living in the wider community to find their way through the maze of early days at university,” he said. The scheme aims to improve retention rates in the critical first session of a student’s study. The Off campus Advisors are recruited from existing CSU students. In addition to being the first point of contact for support, the Advisers will offer the new students a six week program of social activities. Orientation 2008 at CSU began on Monday 11 February.