Charles Sturt University (CSU) will help show the value of agricultural research to regional Australia during a one day workshop on Wednesday 30 May. About eighty senior high school students from throughout the Riverina will meet with scientists of the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation to see what it is like to work in agricultural science. The students from years 10 and 11 will do hands-on experiments, looking at applied research that is being used to solve problems currently affecting primary industries. The students will also be given an insight into interesting career choices that many would not have come across before. The EH Graham Centre is an alliance between the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University at Wagga Wagga.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) and its students are fostering greater understanding and tolerance during a time when religious differences dominate the global scene. A public discussion, Jesus and Muhammad, is an initiative of the CSU Islamic Students Association and Christian Fellowship and will be held on Wednesday 30 May. According to CSU’s Dr Ata Rehman, the aim of the forum is to encourage unity between the Christian and Muslim faiths, open dialogue and clear up misconceptions held by each religion. Guest speakers will include Dr Muhammad Abdulla, Director of the Griffith Islamic Research Unit and Mr Samuel Green, who has a degree in theology and 15 years experience in Christian Muslim dialogue. Christian Fellowship member Richard Wilson believes much of today’s tensions are due to people misunderstanding the similarities between the two religions, adding there is a lot of ignorance around, and ignorance creates fear.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) student, Luke Tooze is confident as he prepares for his shot at national stardom after being selected in the Australian Idol Top 100. It is an exciting time for the 21 year old, who is into his second year of a teaching degree on CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus. The path to possible musical stardom began when he impressed judge Ian Dickson at the first Australian Idol auditions held in the Riverina at CSU’s Joyes Hall in April. The journey continued this month at a second audition in Melbourne when Luke caught the attention of all four Australian Idol judges with his unique vocal style. The CSU student and his guitar are now bound for the Sydney auditions on June 18. Luke has been busking around the NSW inland city of Wagga Wagga in preparation for the next challenge in his quest to become an Australian Idol.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) adjunct lecturer is shedding new light on dark matter, which makes up most of the Universe. Dark matter remains a mystery with no convincing theory ever having been put forward to explain its existence, according to Dr Allan Ernest from the CSU School of Computing and Mathematics. He says scientists struggle to explain dark matter and they need to use ideas that involve new, ‘made-up’ physics or as yet unknown, undiscovered particles. Dr Ernest says, “My theory uses well known physics and ordinary particles. When applied, ordinary matter can be made invisible by putting it into the right ‘state’, producing the dark matter halos of galaxies in the early universe. It’s a hypothesis that seems to be able to explain almost all of the observations of dark matter”. Dr Ernest along with Dr Matthew Collins will present the theory at the upcoming 18th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation in July.

The newly appointed Director of the National Wine & Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) at Charles Sturt University (CSU) Wagga Wagga Campus, Dr Thomas Henick-Kling, says he wants to enhance the recognition of the NWGIC as a national and international leader in grape and wine quality research. Dr Henick-Kling is a wine microbiologist with commercial and experimental winemaking experience in Germany and Australia. He also headed the wine research and extension program at Cornell University in New York State, USA, for 20 years. Other aims include improving collaborations with other research groups from Australia and overseas, and increasing CSU’s research capacity in wine flavour chemistry and wine microbiology. According to Dr Henick-Kling, “Together with our industry and research partners, the NWGIC will develop the knowledge and train the workforce that the Australian wine industry will need to continue its success into the next 50 years”.

Visiting UK historian Professor Clyde Binfield will speak about renowned architect Edwin Lutyens at a public lecture hosted by Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Friday 6 July. Lutyens buildings are found in England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, the United States and India. Presented in association with the Australian Decorative & Fine Arts Society Riverina Inc. and Wagga City Council, the lecture will explore the rise, fall, and rise again of Lutyens’ reputation. Professor Binfield believes architecture should be read, explained and enjoyed, and, he says, for the historian, there can be no such thing as a boring building or a dull place.

Three international students have experienced the ultimate taste test, maturing their cheese making skills at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Cheese Factory. The students, Wai Yee Fung, Pei Leng Chong and Hooi Chee Tan from the University of Science, Malaysia (USM) gained experience in commercial cheese production during an eight-week internship at the CSU Wagga Wagga Campus. The students, who are studying for degrees in food technology and chemical science at USM, have produced sample batches of Sorke, Paneer and Juusota cheeses, none of which are commercially available in Australia. The public’s tastebuds were tempted when these cheese varieties were ”taste tested” at the popular Farmers Markets in Wagga Wagga during the June long-weekend. Barry Lillywhite says it is possible these cheeses could go into full commercial production at the CSU Cheese Factory.

The finals of Animal Idol will be held on the Wagga Wagga Campus of Charles Sturt University (CSU) tomorrow. The brainchild of Professor Martin Sillence in the CSU Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences School and course coordinator of the new Bachelor of Animal Science, Animal Idol has first year Animal Science students compete in an Australian Idol-style competition. “It is designed to improve presentation skills,” said Dr Sillence. “Each week a different topic is researched and I set a distinct theme and context. Once students gave a presentation aimed at school children, another was an ‘unplugged’ presentation with no power point or other electronic devices. There is a panel of judges drawn from CSU - perhaps one is a little bit ‘Marcia’, and two are a little bit ‘Dicko’. The students vote by SMS to eliminate one of the presentation teams. It is novel, but it seems to be working. I have been amazed by the standard of presentations and the way the students have improved from week to week.”

Wine innovation has arrived at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) with Dr Jim Hardie accepting the role as Professor of Winegrowing Innovation. Dr Hardie has more than 30 years experience in viticultural research and vineyard management including ten years with Brown Brothers Vineyards at Milawa in north east Victoria where he established the Whitlands Vineyard, a pioneering project in cool climate viticulture. Dr Hardie is a strong advocate of international collaboration, with particular interest in applying new knowledge and technology to produce premium quality wine and other grape products. Dr Hardie says his goal is “to accelerate the contribution of CSU and its collaborators in the NWGIC toward intellectual leadership and value-adding, high impact, technical innovation within the Australian wine industry”.