A Charles Sturt University (CSU) television production student realised a dream when she spent time backstage at Canada's acclaimed 2008 Montreal Comedy Festival in July. Ms Stephanie Coombes has returned from a two week trip to Canada where she assisted with filming the well known Australian current affairs comedy show, Good News Week. Ms Coombes, from Sydney, gained the international experience while only six months into her three year Bachelor of Arts (Television Production) degree on CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus. “There is little substitute for practical learning, and getting out amongst the people who make television was a fabulous experience,” she said. “The appeal of the CSU course is that it teaches television in a practical way, so when I’m looking for a job I know I’ll have the knowledge to get a position such as a floor manager or vision mixer.” She hopes to pursue a television career like her father who is a television director for Good News Week. Television production course coordinator Mr Pat Sproule said Ms Coombes’ trip demonstrates the importance the University places on practical experience its courses.

Tenders have been called to reconstruct a key Charles Sturt University (CSU) laboratory complex which was partially damaged in an explosion on the Wagga Wagga Campus in 2007. Known as the Sutherland Laboratory, the building is a teaching and research centre for students from the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences and the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences. The University called for tenders for the $1.05 million building project in July. Work is expected to be completed by early 2009. “We want to reconstruct the damaged laboratory on the same footprint of the previous building,” said CSU Architect Mr Chris Nesakumar. “However, the University plans to refurbish the damaged laboratory as a multi-purpose facility to satisfy the immediate and future teaching requirements of the agricultural and veterinary science students.” The new facility will accommodate 72 students with a preparation room, solvents room, wash-up area and incubator room.

A strong advocate of the pharmacy program at Charles Sturt University (CSU) has been elected President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (NSW Branch). Mr Peter Gissing, from Wagga Wagga, accepted the position in July. The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (NSW Branch) is the professional organisation for all pharmacists in the state, providing education and advocacy to support pharmacists in their vital work. From 2004 until 2007, Mr Gissing was foundation Chairman of the Charles Sturt Pharmacy Foundation which was established to support the University pharmacy program on its Wagga Wagga and Orange campuses and its ongoing work to provide skilled pharmacists, particularly for inland Australia. Mr Gissing has owned two large community pharmacies in Wagga Wagga and works as a locum pharmacist and industry consultant. “Peter’s new position as President of the Society’s NSW branch is further demonstration of his unflinching commitment to the development of the profession,” said Head of the CSU School of Biomedical Sciences, Associate Professor Lyn Angel. “CSU has been a direct beneficiary of his long-term commitment.” Read more about the Charles Sturt Pharmacy Foundation here.

Agriculture has long been accused of contributing to air pollution through the practice of stubble burning, but a new Charles Sturt University (CSU) research project underway in the Riverina is aiming to quantify the extent of the practice. Using 30 years of satellite data, the project is investigating where stubble burning has occurred in the past, where it is carried out now and whether management practices have changed over time. The project is an initiative of the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, an alliance between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the Department of Primary Industries based at Wagga Wagga. Researcher and spatial science expert Dr Remy DeHaan said, “With spatial science technology we can map 30 years of land management and show whether the practice has increased or decreased. Using satellite maps and historical knowledge means we can quantify the changes in management practices and provide an accurate picture of the extent of the burning.”  Initially, Dr DeHaan is mapping an area covering the Wagga Wagga, Albury and Lake Cargelligo regions but there is potential for the project to expand Australia-wide.

The task of rehousing dogs from an animal shelter in Wagga Wagga is being made a little easier with the help of veterinary science students at Charles Sturt University (CSU). The students were on hand at the re-opening of Wagga Wagga City Council’s renovated Glenfield Road Animal Shelter in July. There they conducted pre-health checks on the dogs ahead of their transfer by Animal Ambulance to the Veterinary Clinical Centre at CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus. Under supervision, the fourth year students will spey the dogs and de-worm and vaccinate them against major infectious diseases on Tuesday 29 July and Wednesday 30 July. “Through this valuable work, the students are being taught the principles of anaesthetics and surgery,” said head of Small Animal Surgery at the CSU Veterinary Clinical Centre, Professor Bruce Christie. “These principles can then be generically understood and applied to other animals during surgery.” The dogs have been or will be rehoused through the Council’s animal shelter.

Ms Mary Madden has returned to where her pharmacy career began, Charles Sturt University (CSU). Among the first pharmacy graduates from CSU in 2001, Ms Madden is now working at the University as an associate lecturer in the School of Biomedical Sciences in Wagga Wagga. She worked in community and hospital pharmacy before joining CSU in 2007. “I had reached the stage in my career where I wanted to do more,” Ms Madden said. “I was looking into research before I secured a position at CSU.” Ms Madden’s research focuses on risk management in pharmacy, minimizing human error, and the decision making process when errors occur. Also new to the pharmacy program at CSU is Dr Hassan Obied, a lecturer in pharmacology and pharmacokinetics in the School of Biomedical Sciences. He graduated from Tanta University (TU) in Egypt in 2000. He worked at TU and then completed his PhD at CSU in 2007 which focussed on the discovery of new bio-phenols in Australian olives with potential anti-cancer activity and accepted a teaching position in 2008. His research interests and expertise are in the areas of plant bio-phenols and the role of antioxidants in prevention and treatment of disease.  

Plans to establish a Connemara Pony Stud at Charles Sturt University (CSU) are well underway with the arrival of four mares and one stallion at CSU’s Equine Centre in August. The stud will produce horses suitable for veterinary science, animal science and equine students to handle, train and manage as part of their course. Equine science lecturer at the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences in Wagga Wagga, Mr Hunter Doughty, said “Many students have had little exposure to horse handling and horse reproduction so it is important for them to develop confidence. The Connemara pony is ideal because it is smaller and not as intimidating as larger horses”. Stallion Wychwood Willy Wagtail from Port Augusta has been leased for the 2008 and 2009 breeding season. Of the four purebred mares, one has been donated and three are on loan. “The collaboration between the Connemara Pony Breeders Association of Australia and CSU’s School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences is a great promotion of the breed and there are numerous research opportunities that will not only benefit the breed in Australia but internationally, given the limited gene pool of the breed, ” said Mr Doughty.

Twelve speakers from all over Australia will meet at Riverina Playhouse in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 August to discuss the state of play in Australian arts. The meeting, Symposia 08, will be opened by Professor David Green, Head of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Wagga Wagga Campus. Speakers include youth commentator Mr Craig Schuftan from ABC’s national youth radio station Triple J, Sydney-based designer Mr Eddy Herringson, Mr Nick Pill from Rising Sun Pictures, Mr Justy Phillips from the Tasmanian School of Art, Ms Elli Ioannou from Elli Photography in Melbourne, and CSU lecturer and embroiderer Ms Julie Montgarrett. There will also be a student forum and live music during the event. To book a place at the conference, call (02) 6933 2589.

Predictions of a looming skills shortage in agriculture are being met head-on with twelve new students starting three-year research doctorate courses this year with the innovative agricultural research group, the EH Graham Centre in Wagga Wagga. As a partnership between Charles Sturt University and the NSW Department of Primary Industries, postgraduate education is essential to train the next generation of scientists and researchers who will be ready to meet the research and development needs of Australian agriculture. Director of the EH Graham Centre, Professor Deirdre Lemerle, said, "The Centre’s research into mixed farming - in plant and animal sciences - aims to generate new knowledge to underpin the capacity of farmers to manage risk in a changing environment". The new group of students, who bring the total number of students studying at the EH Graham Centre to 36, are focused on research including animal and crop production, pastures, socio-economic issues relating to the adoption of new technologies, and the impact of agriculture on the environment.