TAFE students who have enrolled in or recently completed Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses at TAFE NSW Riverina Institute, the Canberra Institute of Technology and TAFE Western can now win scholarships to further their education at Charles Sturt University (CSU). Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at CSU, Professor Ross Chambers, says applications for the 12 scholarships, each worth $2 500, are available for 2010, with four scholarships available at each institution. “The CSU University Pathway Scholarship Program is part of the University’s ongoing commitment to create strong education pathways and collaboration from TAFE to University in our regional cities and regions,” says Professor Chambers. Institute Director at TAFE NSW Riverina Institute, Ms Rosemary Campbell, acknowledges that CSU and Riverina Institute have become great educational partners. “We have a rich range of integrated programs which are envied across Australia,” Ms Campbell says. Applications will close on Friday 27 November, with offers due to be made to successful TAFE students on Friday 11 December.

As part of his visit to Australia hosted by Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) International Centre of Water for Food Security (IC WATER), a renowned Dutch hydrologist will present his ambitious plan to develop a model that displays the status of water on or under every hectare of the earth’s surface. Professor Nick van de Giesen, Chair of Water Resources Management at the Technical University of Delft (TUD) in the Netherlands, will discuss his ideas at a seminar at CSU at Wagga Wagga on Friday 24 July. Professor van de Giesen said the computational power needed to present the data at 15 minute intervals is relatively modest and although much scientific research is needed to make such a model a reality, prototypes already exist. IC WATER director Associate Professor Mohsin Hafeez said the long-term partnership between CSU and TUD will focus on establishing joint projects and building expertise in irrigation water management, water accounting and saving, climate change impact on water availability, land use and land cover change.

The Vice-Chancellor and President of Charles Sturt University (CSU), Professor Ian Goulter, has announced the University’s new Head of Campus at Dubbo. Dr Beverley Moriarty, who is Associate Head of the School of Teacher Education at Dubbo, will take on the Head of Campus role for three years, effective from Wednesday 15 July. Professor Goulter welcomed Dr Moriarty’s appointment and looks forward to working closely with her to develop further the campus at Dubbo. Dr Moriarty said she was honoured to accept the new role. “These are exciting times for the higher education sector and I am delighted that I can contribute to realising the opportunities for Charles Sturt University as it moves ahead as the University of Inland Australia,” Dr Moriarty said. “I also want to acknowledge the contribution of my predecessor, Mr Gary Shipp who has taken on an important new role in the University as Special Adviser, Indigenous Affairs.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) academics and medical imaging students will be present to discuss a career in medical imaging when Regional Imaging Riverina holds an open day in Wagga Wagga on Sunday 8 November - the day in 1895 when Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered x-rays - as part of National Radiographers and Radiation Therapists Week (Monday 2 to Sunday 8 November). Radiographers are the health professionals who operate x-ray, mammogram or ultrasound diagnostic technologies. CSU medical imaging students will also mark the Week with their annual end of year dinner at 6.30pm on Wednesday 4 November at the University’s Convention Centre. “There are around 40 radiographers working in Wagga Wagga alone,” said Mrs Kelly Spuur, lecturer with the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences at CSU at Wagga Wagga. Mrs Spuur is course coordinator of the Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (Medical Imaging) and a former radiographer with Regional Imaging Riverina (RIR). “Given the national and international shortage of radiographers, our region is fortunate to have this many professionals working in local private practice and public hospitals.”  The open day is an opportunity for the local community to tour the facility at Calvary Hospital which includes a 16 channel short bore MRI scanner, 16 slice CT and digital mammography unit. Radiographers will also be on hand to discuss their work.

Over 120 animated films, selected from 2 000 world-wide, will screen in Wagga Wagga when the Australian International Animation Festival returns in May for its sixth year. Festival organiser and Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer Mr Andrew Hagan said all films were selected by experts, with many having won international awards and a few making their premiere screening. “The range of styles, genres and techniques is testament to the vibrancy and relevance of creative animation. We’ve worked hard to reflect that incredible diversity to capture a true snapshot of the inspiring international animation scene,” Mr Hagan said. “A lead animator on the hit movie Mary & Max, Mr John Lewis, has created an exclusive trailer from sand-animation which will play in the cinema in the lead up to the festival.” Children can also view a carefully selected program for young children and, for the first time, the Festival’s International Program is open to all, including high school students.

Ensuring a bright future for Australia’s agricultural industry through improved education of its future leaders will bring academics and industry representatives together at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Wagga Wagga on Thursday 26 March. Hosted by the CSU School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, the industry advisory day will focus on the improvements made of the Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree, including the introduction of work placement in the course’s final year. “Various agricultural industry organisations will attend to help forge new relationships between the employers and educators of agriculturalists and to work on plans for the future to improve agricultural education in Australia,” said CSU lecturer Dr Alison Southwell. “By working together to produce the next generation of agriculturalists, we can make our graduates more ‘work ready’ and more capable of handling the challenges that agriculture faces in the future.”

Two Bachelor of Arts (Photography) students had works selected in 2008 to hang in the National Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. The students, Ms Kate Lewis, who is now studying a Masters of Arts Practice at CSU, and Mr Matt Regan joined staff from the CSU School of Visual and Performing Arts at the exhibition’s opening in Canberra on Thursday 19 March. “While awards are always celebrated and welcomed, for our students’ work to be selected alongside photographers with much longer professional careers is a significant achievement both for Kate and Matt as well as our photography staff,” said Head of the School of Visual and Performing Arts, Associate Professor Margaret Woodward. Read more about the students’ portraits here. 

The Charles Sturt University (CSU) community was saddened to hear of the recent death of Mrs Sheila Swain, AM. Mrs Swain was first appointed to the Council of Mitchell College of Advanced Education, a predecessor institution of CSU, in 1981.  She became Deputy Chair in 1984 and was Chair from 1986 to 1988. The building housing the School of Nursing and Midwifery on the University’s Bathurst Campus was named after Mrs Swain in 2000. Mrs Swain was a councillor on Hunters Hill Municipal Council in Sydney from 1971 to 1991, becoming the first woman elected mayor of the suburb in 1980-82 and was re-elected in 1987-89. She was also active in the Australian Local Government Women's Association - as treasurer, secretary, president of the NSW branch and later national president. In 1986 Mrs Swain was named Outstanding Woman of the Year by the Australian Federation of Business and Professional Women, and in 1987 was appointed a member of the Order of Australia. In 1989 she established and funded four scholarships for female students at CSU suffering financial hardship.

The potential of ‘biochar’ for storing carbon in the soil and improving soil health is being investigated by Charles Sturt University (CSU) and a Wagga Wagga community group as part of the University’s commitment to sustainability. Established last December, the CSU Green Office is facilitating community initiatives in a campus-wide drive to reduce energy consumption and water usage. “An initial meeting held in February attracted 18 people including local businessman, farmers, Wagga Wagga City Councillors and representatives from TAFE NSW Riverina Institute and the NSW Department of Primary Industries and included discussions of biochar,” said Mr William Adlong, Manager of CSU Green. According to the CSIRO, biochar is charcoal created from the heating of organic materials such as crop waste or animal manure in a low oxygen environment.“The group is interested in the potential of biochar to store carbon from the atmosphere for long periods and mitigate climate change, as well as improve soil nutrient and moisture retention and generate electricity from the heat created while producing biochar,” Mr Adlong said.