High school students from across the Riverina will gain an insight into the work of agricultural and veterinary scientists when they visit Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Friday 10 June. The annual EH Graham Centre Ag-Enrichment Day gives primary industries students the opportunity to observe some of the work done by scientists while learning about university courses and career opportunities. Students also gain some hands-on experience with sessions on beneficial insect identification, the importance of fungi, salinity and sheep reproduction. This year, 70 students from schools in Wagga, Albury, Coolamon, Barham, Finley and Lake Cargelligo will take part in the event.

Students from 13 Riverina high schools are expected at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Friday 16 June for the latest MyDay event. Aimed at giving Year 11 and 12 students a taste of university life, the day will focus on courses in the fields of accounting, management, marketing, business studies, IT and computing studies. Approximately 24 students will meet with CSU academics, attend information sessions about the various pathways to get into CSU, opportunities for international study experiences,  and advice on financial matters. A full list of upcoming MyDay events at CSU can be found here. 

The push for a medical school in Orange continues to gather momentum with Charles Sturt University (CSU) launching the Doctors 4 the Bush  website this Thursday 16 June. CSU recently submitted a detailed proposal to the Federal government to gain support for the establishment of an Integrated Health and Medical Education Precinct. This proposal aims to provide medical and health training for students and boost the number of health professionals for regional Australia to redress the shortage of doctors in the bush. The website has been established to allow supporters of this initiative to keep up-to-date with the latest information on rural doctor shortages and will feature updated information on CSU’s proposal and the opportunity to register support for ‘a fair go for the health of rural Australia’. The website will be officially launched by Medical Program Development Community Consultative Committee member Ms Audrey Hardman, OAM, at CSU in Orange on Thursday.

A group of students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) has raised more than $2 500 to help children at a flood affected primary school in southern Queensland. The money raised by CSU Residential Advisors has been donated to the Grantham State School, which is located in one of the small communities devasted by flash flooding in January. CSU Manager of Residential Operations in Albury-Wodonga and Wagga Wagga, Mr Peter Bell said the Residential Advisors took it upon themselves to raise the money by collecting donations. “Many of our students are from regional areas so they had a real connection with the devastation and tragic loss of life in Grantham,” he said.  Grantham State School Principal Ms Christie Minns says the money will help support the learning needs of students. “While the material damage can be repaired and the possessions replaced it is only within a stable environment that the emotional impact on children can be gradually addressed,” she said. “This contribution will help create that stability in the school context.”

The capacity of rural communities to cope with changed climate conditions will be discussed at a symposium at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga this week. Organised by the EH Graham Centre and NSW Department of Primary Industries, the symposium will feature presentations from a number of CSU staff and students. CSU PhD student, Ms Katrina Sinclair, will outline the experience of the Wakool Shire in southern NSW, where a project involving CSU researchers is helping the community reinvigorate itself in the face of reduced water allocations. She said the challenges of  a changing climate combined with economic and social pressure means some farmers will need to prepare for fundamental change. “My research is exploring the ways government and organisations can help farmers and communities respond to a future that is desirable, viable and durable.”  The symposium will be attended by more than 100 people from the NSW DPI, CSU and Bureau of Meterology.

The main medical research agency in the United States, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will be a highlight of a two week trip to the USA by 15 health students from Charles Sturt University (CSU). As part of CSU’s international study experience program, the group will visit New York City and Washington DC from Sunday 3 July. The students will also visit the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, the AIDS Vaccine Design and Development Laboratory, Columbia University, the Shock and Trauma Center at the University of Maryland, and the Smithsonian Museums complex. “This trip will expose the students to a variety of universities and research facilities to see how they go about their business,” said Dr Chris Blanchard from the School of Biomedical Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga. “We encourage our students to have an international perspective during their studies and in their future careers.” The internal and distance education students from Australia and New Zealand are enrolled in a variety of allied health courses including medical science, pharmacy, forensic biotechnology, complementary medicine, and nutrition and dietetics. The students are supported by CSU Global through $500 Vice-Chancellor Travel Grants.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) researchers are asking beef producers to help them find out more information about a condition affecting up to 10 percent of calves. Researchers from the Fred Morley Unit are undertaking one of the first studies of the impact of scours (diarrhoea) in calves in Australian beef herds. It is the most common symptom of illness in young calves reducing growth rates and causing death in a small number of cases. Senior lecturer with the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Dr Jan Lievaart said,  “Most of the research into calf scours in beef cattle has been done in Northern America and this project aims to get hard data for the Australian situation to see if there are any differences”. Surveys have been sent to 1 000 beef producers in the Hume Livestock Health and Pest Authority area and researchers hope to follow up by collecting samples from affected animals to identify the types of pathogens causing the infection. Producers who return their surveys will receive free entry to the EH Graham Centre  Beef Field Day on Thursday 4 August.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) veterinarian said the Hendra virus is very unlikely to pose an immediate risk for horse owners in southern NSW. However, senior lecturer in Equine Medicine with the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Dr Kris Hughes, said a confirmed case of the Hendra virus at Wollongbar on the north coast does serve as a warning for all horse owners, veterinarians and other individuals dealing with horses in the region to be vigilant. “The risk is very low given our geographical location, but people should be aware of any changes in their horses’ behaviour, neurological signs and respiratory signs,” he said. The Hendra virus is transmitted to horses by flying foxes and is known to emerge only in autumn and winter in Queensland and northern NSW. In rare cases it can be transmitted from horses to humans and four of the seven people ever diagnosed with the virus have died. Dr Hughes hopes a vaccine being developed by the Australian Animal Health Laboratory will be available and widely distributed next year.

Students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will put their best foot forward during the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) Conference and Exhibition at Darling Harbour in Sydney from Tuesday 19 July. The biennial event is hailed as a significant one for the film and television industries across the South East Asian region. “Staff and students from the Bachelor of Arts (Television Production) program have become increasingly involved in this event over the years,” said Mr Patrick Sproule from the School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU in Wagga Wagga. “Over 80 television production students from Charles Sturt University will attend and work at the event this year. Our Outside Broadcast (OB) vehicle will be parked in the Sydney Exhibition Hall and set up as a working exhibit. Students will use the van to cover the event, feeding into local venue audio visual services as well as generating internet content for promotion. Furthermore, students will be assisting with the overall operation of the conference and exhibition. Our involvement is significant in a very professional and public arena. One of the first things that attendees will see is video screens with content produced by our crew.”