With spring just around the corner, a number of new foals are finding their feet at the Equine Centre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga. Second year Bachelor of Equine Science students from the University’s School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences in Wagga Wagga are assigned mares throughout the spring breeding season as part of the subject, Equine Reproduction and Breeding Management. The latest foal sired by Connemara pony stallion Glenormiston Celtic Pride made its way into the world on Wednesday night 28 August. The filly, from mare Zilla, is the fourth foal from two CSU stallions. Six foals are expected by the end of the breeding season. Equine science students Ms Elizabeth Furniss from Darwin, Ms Candice Duddek from Bathurst and Mr Caleb Lock from Kempsey were charged with managing all aspects of Zilla and handling her new foal. They spent Thursday morning 29 August admiring the foal which they named Brid – a Celtic name meaning power, strength and vigour.   

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga is hosting its final MyDay for 2013 on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 August. The creative industry courses available through the University’s School of Communication and Creative Industries will be on show for Year 10 students from local schools. The University has hosted 24 MyDays throughout 2013 for high school students so they can get a taste of ‘living and learning’ at University. Courses on show at CSU in Wagga Wagga next week including acting for screen and stage, animation and visual effects, design for theatre and television, fine arts, graphic design, photography and television production. About 100 students from 12 high schools across the Riverina are scheduled to visit CSU from 10am to 2pm. As part of their University experience, they will get to visit facilities such as the broadcast standard multi-camera television studio, multi camera outside broadcast truck, the 5.1 surround post-production sound studio, photographic laboratory and the drama studio used for performances by the University Theatre Ensemble.  

A rare and spectacular Islamic art form, ‘Khayamiya’ is Egyptian Tentmaker hand-sewn appliqué. It is the most vibrant form of street art in Cairo, but rarely seen outside Egypt. “Khayamiya: Khedival to Contemporary” is the world’s first exhibition to reveal the story of the Egyptian Tentmakers from the Late Ottoman Empire to present-day Cairo. Curator Dr Sam Bowker is a lecturer in art history and visual culture for the School of Communication and Creative Industries at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga. His exhibition in the University’s HR Gallop Gallery will be displayed from Monday 26 August. It is part of an international project to recognise the work of the Egyptian Tentmakers as skilled craftsmen and artists. Dr Bowker said, “For hundreds of years, Egyptian Tentmakers designed and made ‘Khayamiya’.  These intricate artworks adorned the spectacular tents of the Ottoman Empire and the Egyptian Khedives. In Cairo today, magnificent screens form colourful backdrops for street parties, weddings, Ramadan celebrations, political rallies, funerals and religious events. Sadly, these screens are now made of cheap printed fabrics that imitate real Khayamiya appliqué. The historic hand-made art now faces extinction.” Dr Bowker will host a public conversation in the Gallery from 1pm to 2pm on Tuesday 27 August. He will be on a lecture tour in the United Kingdom from Tuesday 3 to Thursday 19 September. His book, Khayamiya: The Art of the Egyptian Tentmakers will be published next year.

An opportunity to see real research ‘live’ will be given to high achieving students in Year 9 and 10 students at Kooringal High School this week at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga. The 19 students will begin to develop their own research skills guided by CSU researchers when they take part in research activities in agricultural and computer sciences on Tuesday 30 July. Dr Bec Doyle from the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences will have students working in the paddock, Matt Olsen from the School of Creative Arts will have them in theatres working cameras, while PhD student Mr Saman Shafigh, from the School of Computing and Mathematics, will work with them on wireless body sensing activities. Follow the day-long excursion, CSU academics will then mentor the students on how to be successful researchers while they undertake a major project in their area of interest. The day runs from 9.30am to 2.45pm at CSU in Wagga Wagga. The program is run by COMPACT, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to create partnerships between schools, businesses, and industry, community groups and parents, families and care givers to help young people to achieve their potential.

Leading Charles Sturt University (CSU) ecologist Associate Professor David Watson is part of a vocal group of Australian researchers who fear our parks will become playgrounds for the rich rather than reserves for Australia’s endangered plants and animals. Professor Watson believes the central issue is the “current gross mismanagement of our national parks by States and Territories that runs completely counter to the entire rational of national parks. They are set to be used for drought relief fodder, mining, recreational shooting and increased recreational development in three states. This spells very bad news for ecological systems that are already teetering on the edge,” he said. His comments follow a joint letter by the group on The Conversation website, and support for their concerns by the federal Minister for the Environment, The Hon Tony Burke reported on Thursday 30 May.

A stark reminder of the dangers of drink driving has been parked near busy roads at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga and Wagga Wagga. Badly damaged cars have been parked at the front entrance to CSU in Thurgoona and on Valder Way at CSU in Wagga. Posters attached to the damaged cars depict the consequences of drink driving. It is an initiative of the University’s Health Promotion Service as part of Drug Awareness Month at CSU in May. The theme for Drug Awareness Month in 2013 is ‘Drink Driving’. Health Promotion Officer Ms Coleen Pearce said, “We are attempting to remind Charles Sturt University students of the perils of drink driving on the day of, and also the day after, any event. The program for Drug Awareness Month is based on the Plan B campaign in NSW to combat drink driving. We are reinforcing the message that students need to plan ahead when they go out. Our program throughout the month includes flyers on car windscreens and behind toilet doors, covers over unattended drinks, activities with drink simulation goggles and information stalls with free merchandise. We will be also marking World No Tobacco Day on Friday 31 May.”

The Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, an alliance between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), has opened a new research hub in Wagga Wagga. Named after Edgar ‘Eddie’ Hugh Graham, the longest serving NSW Minister for Agriculture and local MP, the Graham Centre’s new offices are located in the refurbished Agricultural Research Institute building in Wagga Wagga. It is the same building Minister Graham opened in 1954. Guests attending the opening by Federal Member for Riverina Mr Michael McCormack on Wednesday 22 May signed the original 1954 visitor’s book. Watching the proceedings was Eddie Graham’s grandson, Mr Robert White (pictured). Established in 2005, the Graham Centre integrates research at CSU and NSW DPI in five key areas: conservation cropping; ruminant feed base; bio-protection and integrated pest management of crops and pastures; animal health and welfare; and integrated cropping systems. Graham Centre Director and Professor of Agricultural Innovation, Professor Deirdre Lemerle, said, “The centre has three research objectives: to increase the efficiency of production systems; to value-add to the quality of food and fibre commodities; and to strengthen our research capacity by training the next generation of researchers.”

A team of Charles Sturt University (CSU) Bachelor of Information Technology students is taking up the challenge to prevent cyber crime. On Tuesday 7 May the students from the School of Computing and Mathematics  at CSU in Wagga Wagga will take part in the Cyber Security Challenge Australia, a national competition run by the Australian Government and Telstra to boost skills and highlight careers in information and communications technology. In the 24-hour challenge students will have to identify vulnerabilities in a fictitious computer network and recommend strategies to fix the problems. This is the second year CSU has participated and Senior Lecturer Dr Tanveer Zia said the team is well prepared. “One of the team members took part last year so we have the advantage of having someone with good understanding of what is expected,” he said.  “The competition gives students the opportunity to integrate their learning into practice and experience a real life scenario.”

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) building has been short-listed for an international design award. The School of Dentistry and Health Sciences building at CSU in Wagga Wagga is one of six buildings short-listed for World Architecture WAN AWARDS Education Sector 2013. Opened in 2009 for the University’s new oral health and dentistry program, the building was designed by Brewster Hjorth Architects. The international jury found  the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences building was a “modest design with a strong connection to the site. The project created a sense of locality and identity by using local materials and translating the surrounding typography into the architecture. The circulation and learning spaces were thought to have created a fascinating place to learn”. The other buildings short-listed for the WAN AWARDS Education Sector 2013 are in Angola, Canada, Portugal and the United Kingdom (UK).The winner will be announced on Tuesday 30 April.