Three students from Kooringal High School (KHS) in Wagga Wagga have taken out the Riverina prize in the 2013 Game On competition for Years 10 and 11 students enrolled in commerce, economics, legal studies, and other related subjects. The KHS students built and operated their own ‘virtual’ business, titled ‘Ranga’, in a computer simulated market and competition hosted by Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Faculty of Business. Local Game On coordinator and Associate Head of School of Management and Marketing, Dr Padma Nathan, said, “The exercise aims to help students develop skills in finance, human resource management, marketing, and operations that are relevant to the real world. Game On complements the Stage 6 NSW Business Studies curriculum.” The simulation ran from May until September 2013 with eight rounds of competition between over 550 students from 23 NSW high schools from Port Macquarie to Albury. It enables students to learn through hands-on experience and encourages students to apply these key business principles to their own ‘virtual’ smart phone business.  

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) student is inviting members of the Wagga Wagga community to snack on chickpeas all in the name of research. Mrs Soumi Paul Mukhopadhyay is a PhD student in the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga. Her free ‘Snack Food Tasting’ session will be held in the Senior Citizens’ Community Hall in Tarcutta Street near the monthly Farmers’ Markets from 8.30am to 1.30pm on Saturday 9 November. “I am hoping that people will come along and taste an Indian snack which is new to Australian tastebuds. Once they have tasted the fried chickpeas, I will ask them to fill out a short survey. There’ll be great rewards for the taste testing volunteers,” Mrs Paul Mukhopadhyay said. The CSU student is examining consumer preferences for cooked chickpeas in Australia and India, the world’s largest consumer of chickpeas and a key market for Australian exporters. Read more about research into chickpeas in CSU News here.

Children receiving occupational therapy are rarely asked to speak about their experiences with allied health professionals such as occupational therapists, but a Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher is planning to change that. Ms Nadine Milgate, based at CSU in Wagga Wagga, is looking for stories of school children aged between seven and 10 years who currently receive occupational therapy. “It is important to hear from children about their experiences of occupational therapy and how they make sense of the interventions,” said Ms Milgate, who is completing her PhD with the University’s School of Community Health in Albury-Wodonga. Ms Milgate would like to hear from parents and caregivers of children receiving occupational therapy who would like to take part in the research. The study involves Ms Milgate spending time with the child to ask questions about their experiences of occupational therapy. Parents and caregivers interested in including their child in this research should contact Ms Milgate on mobile 0409 501 154 or send an email.

When the locally made film Backyard Ashes premieres in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday some Charles Sturt University (CSU) students will be eagerly scanning the credits. More than 20 CSU students and recent graduates were part of the cast and crew over four weeks of filming in the city.  Final year television production student Mr Jack Walsh was Second Camera Assistant on the production and said he’s been able to apply his experience on set to his study through the School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU in Wagga Wagga. “Working on a real film has given me a greater understanding of what is required in each role behind the scenes,” Mr Walsh said. “I’ve been able to use what I learnt about cameras and lenses in my own productions.” Shot in central Wagga Wagga, Backyard Ashes tells the story of how two neighbours attempt to solve their differences in the ultimate backyard cricketing challenge. The movie will be in cinemas in Albury, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga from Thursday 7 November. Originally from Cootamundra, Mr Walsh will graduate during a ceremony at CSU in Wagga Wagga in December. He has secured a job with Network Ten as a Production Assistant.

Agricultural and wine research took centre stage when senior diplomats from 27 countries visited Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Monday 4 November.  Representatives from the NSW Consular Corps toured the University’s world class research facilities, including the National Life Sciences Hub (NaLSH), CSU Winery, National Wine and Grape Industry Centre and the Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation. “Charles Sturt University has strong educational and research ties with institutions in many of the countries represented in this tour and more than 200 international students are currently studying here in Wagga Wagga,” said the CSU Head of Campus in Wagga Wagga Ms Miriam Dayhew. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to strengthen those ties and show these senior diplomats what the University has to offer.” The tour was facilitated by the Minister for Western NSW, Mr Kevin Humphries MP, to build international awareness of the educational and business opportunities available within the region.

Science teachers from the Riverina will return to university, if only for a short time, as part of a professional development opportunity at Charles Sturt University (CSU) this week. Organised by the Eastern Riverina Science Teacher’s Association, the conference will be held at CSU in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 31 October and Friday 1 November. As part of the event, a number of workshops will be run for the high school teachers by academics from the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences and the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences. Associate Professor Paul Prenzler will present a workshop on how teachers can engage students from Years 7 to 10 in fun chemistry practicals or demonstrations. ‘Chemistry – practicals to engage the junior learner’ will be held from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Thursday 31 October in the National Life Sciences Hub at CSU in Wagga Wagga. The CSU academic, who is a member of the University’s award winning Chemistry Teaching Team and of the Eastern Riverina Science Teacher’s Association, was recently involved in promoting science amongst Indigenous students at Mount Austin High School as part of the National Indigenous Science Education Program. Read more on CSU News here.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher believes effective biosecurity is the most humane and affordable way of preventing the spread of Avian Influenza from wild waterfowl to poultry operations. Birds on a second egg farm near Young in NSW have been confirmed to have the H7 strain of Avian Influenza, different to the H5N1 strain which can affect humans. Dr Andrew Peters, lecturer in Veterinary Pathology with the  School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga has an interest in the spread of parasites and disease in wild bird populations.  He said various strains of Avian Influenza circulate naturally in populations of waterfowl but rarely causes disease in these wild birds. “Different species of waterfowl play different roles in the transmission and maintenance of Avian Influenza in the natural environment,” said Dr Peters. “There is a need to better characterise this in Australia, as well as the ecology of these species, and by doing so develop cost-effective biosecurity measures to protect free-range poultry operations.” 

As regional cities slowly move into surrounding farms and bushlands, native animals such as the squirrel glider have become threatened by loss of suitable habitat. Charles Sturt University (CSU) wildlife researcher and Honours student, Mr Mitchell Francis, has found that better land planning in developing cities could help the survival of threatened species such as the squirrel glider. In a study of urban and rural environments on the northern edge of Albury at Thurgoona, Mr Francis found squirrel gliders, which live in tree hollows for nesting and foraging, preferred tall, large hollow bearing native trees where there was less urban noise, fewer roads, and less light pollution from human sources such as streetlights and houses. “I suspect that roads are barriers to the movement of squirrel gliders for foraging, and light and noise pollution from nearby developing suburbs are a threat to their persistence,” Mr Francis said. His supervisor, Dr Peter Spooner, noted that in much of eastern Australia, towns and cities are expanding into habitat which is critical for native fauna. “Knowledge of urban impacts on animals like the squirrel glider is important for town planners who are making decisions to approve urban developments on the edge of town and cities.”

Students living on campus at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga will present $6 500 to the Wagga Wagga and Region Suicide Prevention Network following the students’ fund-raising efforts in 2013.  Manager of the University’s Residence Life Mr Peter Bell said, “The money was raised during events organised by Residential Advisors (RA). The students living on campus would donate a gold coin to attend the activities. Given the financial pressures on university students, the donation is a generous one to a very worthy local charity.”  On Thursday 31 October at 10.30am, the RAs and Wagga Wagga Head of Campus, Ms Miriam Dayhew will present a cheque valued at $6 500 to Wagga Wagga and Region Suicide Prevention Network member Mr Daniel Hayes. “This generous donation will help us to continue promoting what people can do to help themselves and each other in times of need,” said Mr Hayes. “We will also be able to further train community members in being able to help others and look a new way to provide local solutions.” Read more about the Wagga Wagga and Region Suicide Prevention Network and where to get help here.