The second production in the University Theatre Ensemble (UTE) 2017 season opens at the CSU Riverina Playhouse on Thursday 1 June.Tales From The Arabian Nights is directed by Dr Dominique Sweeney (pictured) who was recently appointed as a lecturer in stage and screen acting at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Communication and Creative Industries in Wagga Wagga. He is a filmmaker specialising in documenting performance practice, and in particular he has been researching and filming traditional Aboriginal performances.CSU's third-year students of the Bachelor of Stage and Screen (Acting) students bring to life these ancient stories of The Arabian Nights recrafted by Australian playwright Donna Abela.Dr Sweeney said, "This famous story from the Arabian Nights recounts the paranoid world of King Shahrayar who kills everyone and everything that is a potential threat until the enchanting Shahrazad bravely steps in. Risking her life she begins a tale that continues into another and another which so intrigues the King that he is utterly transformed. The storyteller changes the king and the world."Tales From The Arabian Nights opens at the CSU Riverina Playhouse at 7.30pm on Thursday 1 June then plays Friday and Saturday at 7.30pm and Thursday 8 June to Saturday 10 June at 7.30pm, with a matinee at 2pm on Saturday 10 June.Tickets can be booked at the Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre Booking Office, telephone 6926 9688, or are available at the door.The University continues its policy of providing excellent value for money with tickets prices of $25 full price, $18 for groups (5 or more), $15 concession, and $12.50 for students. Book online at http://www.civictheatre.com.au/

Booranga Writers' Centre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga welcomes Dr Nathanael O'Reilly as its writer-in-residence from 17 to 30 May.Dr O'Reilly (pictured) is an Australian-born poet now living and teaching in the United States. During his residency his latest collection of poetry, Preparations for Departure, will be launched by Dr Lachlan Brown, a Wagga Wagga poet and senior lecturer in English at the CSU School of Humanities and Social Sciences.Dr Brown said, "Nathanael O'Reilly was born in Warrnambool and raised in Ballarat, Brisbane and Shepparton. His poems have appeared in journals and anthologies published in nine countries. He has travelled on five continents and spent extended periods in England, Ireland, Germany, Ukraine and the United States, where he currently resides and teaches Australian, British, Irish, and postcolonial literature at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas."I'm particularly excited that a poet and academic of such high international standing is revisiting Wagga Wagga and will launch his new collection of poems here. It will be great for students, staff and the community to have immediate access to this gifted writer/scholar."Dr O'Reilly will present a writing workshop and public readings during his residency, and at the book launch on Tuesday 23 May he will read from this newly published collection. Dr Brown will also read some of his own new work.Further information on Dr O'Reilly's newest publication can be found herehttps://uwap.uwa.edu.au/collections/poetry/products/preparations-for-departureWriting Workshop, 2pm to 4pm on Saturday 20 May Booranga Writers' Centre, Mambarra Drive, CSU Wagga Wagga Free for members of Booranga Writers' Centre, $5 for non-membersPublic Reading and Book Launch, 5.15pm to 7pm on Tuesday 23rd May Historic Council Chambers Wagga Wagga, free eventPublic Reading, 5.30pm to 7pm on Thursday 25th May Griffith City Library, free eventFor more information please contact Ms Kathryn Halliwell director@booranga.com or Mr David Gilbey dgilbey@csu.edu.au

The University Theatre Ensemble (UTE) production of William Shakespeare's Hamlet opens on Tuesday 16 May for five nights at the Riverina Playhouse at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga.Hamlet is the first production of UTE's 2017 season and is directed by Dr Robert Lewis, a lecturer in acting for stage and screen in the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Wagga Wagga."Hamlet is arguably one of the world's most famous tragedies," Dr Lewis said. "It is set in the Kingdom of Denmark, a country on the brink of war, and is a story about a family and a man torn apart by murder, revenge, madness and living in a world of other people's appearances."This adaptation of Hamlet is performed by Charles Sturt University second-year Bachelor of Stage and Screen (Acting) students. The character of Hamlet is performed by a chorus, with each of chorus member representing an aspect of Hamlet's psyche such as lust, ambition, greed, revenge and torment."Our students are so lucky to have the CSU Riverina Playhouse as their performance venue," Dr Lewis said."UTE is unique in the fact that it is not only the performance arm of the Bachelor of Stage and Screen, it is also a vehicle for assessment, where students learn the craft of acting, take risks, and perform in challenging works."Hamlet opens at the CSU Riverina Playhouse on Tuesday 16 May at 7.30pm, then plays Wednesday 17 to Saturday 20 May at 7.30pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2pm.Tickets can be booked at the Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre Booking Office, telephone 6926 9688, or are available at the door. The University continues its policy of providing excellent value for money with tickets prices of $20 full price, $18 for groups (5 or more), $15 concession, and $12.50 for students. Book online at http://www.civictheatre.com.au/

The potential health benefits of coloured rice is the subject of new research at the Functional Grains Centre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga.Participants in the study are being sought by CSU PhD students Ms Kiara Thompson and Ms Esther Callcott as they investigate if the bioactive compounds in whole grain coloured rice varieties have therapeutic effects for obesity and related diseases such as cardiovascular disease. "The seed coats of coloured rice are rich in antioxidants and our aim is to test the role of these chemical compounds in reducing blood clotting, inflammation and chemical damage to cells in overweight or obese people and in those who have type 2 diabetes," Ms Callcott said.The researchers are seeking people who are overweight or have type 2 diabetes to take part in the study. They will be asked to complete a health and food questionnaire, body measurement and give a small sample of blood."We'd like to hear from people who are overweight or obese, that is those with a Body Mass Index of greater than 24.9, and or, those who have type 2 diabetes," Ms Thompson said."To take part in the study people need to be non-smokers, aged between 18 and 65, who are not pregnant and who don't suffer any chronic diseases."We also need to ensure they're not taking anti-inflammatory or anti-clotting medication."The research is supervised by Dr Abishek Santhakumar and Professor Chris Blanchard from CSU's School of Biomedical Sciences.The Functional Grains Centre is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre and is an initiative of the Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation.For further information about how to take part in the study, please email Ms Kiara Thompson or Ms Esther Callcott.

Students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga have again shown their support for the community after raising more than $800 for the Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI).As part of the Jeans for Genes fundraising program, the University's Residence Life student leaders hosted a 'Double Denim' event on campus on Wednesday 3 May.Students donated a gold coin to attend the barbeque to raise money for research to cure and treat childhood diseases.A cheque for $873 was presented to the Institute's Ms Helen Chamberlain on Wednesday 10 May by Head Resident and veterinary science student Mr Hughie Ryan (left). He was accompanied by fellow students Mr Luke Schulz and Mr Hamish Pennington and CSU assistant catering manager Mr Mike Bailey (far right).

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will hold a dedication ceremony on Monday 8 May to posthumously honour the life of Mr Geoff Honey, Executive Director of Student Administration. The ceremony from 10am under the Chinese elm tree at CSU in Wagga Wagga will mark the first anniversary of the 51 year old's sudden death on Sunday 8 May, 2016.A plaque has been organised by the Wagga Wagga High School classmates of Mr Honey and CSU.In addition, a Charles Sturt University Foundation scholarship has been established in his name. The annual Geoff Honey Memorial Scholarship provides valuable support to a new CSU student experiencing financial hardship.Mr Honey's widow Cheryl Honey, who also works at CSU, said she was very touched her husband would be remembered in this way."Geoff would be delighted with this honour and would wish me to thank everyone involved," Mrs Honey said.CSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Ken Dillon said the scholarship was something that Geoff would have liked."Geoff was a long serving Executive Director of Student Administration and I think he would be a bit chuffed with this new scholarship offered through the Charles Sturt University Foundation," Professor Dillon said."We all miss Geoff and this dedication will help us remember his significant personal and professional contributions to the University and the Wagga Wagga community."During graduation at CSU in Wagga Wagga in December 2016, the University Council posthumously conferred the title of Doctor of Business (honoris causa) on Mr Geoff Honey.

Only a few days remain to see a unique example of Egyptian art at the HR Gallop Gallery (building 21) at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga.Dr Sam Bowker (pictured with the textile), lecturer in art history and visual culture in the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Wagga Wagga, said the exhibit of a very rare and spectacular example of 19th century Egyptian tentmaker applique – known as Khedival khayamiya – is part of the exhibition 'Have Poets Left a Patch to Sew?' at the gallery.The show includes new digital animations and soundscapes by Rachel Walls and Dr Damian Candusso, recreating the 'Street of the Tentmakers' in Cairo, as well as new poems from the Booranga Writer's Centre."These art works represent a meeting of the contemporary high-tech and the historic handmade," Dr Bowker said."The two elements overlap between two teaching and research strengths of Charles Sturt University ─ our innovative approaches to both photography and Islamic art."This exhibit is called the Thatcher Panel. It was made around 1900, and it's enormous; it fills the whole wall with intricate geometric patterns, exquisite sewing and complex calligraphy. It's on loan from a collection in the UK, and has never been displayed in Australia. This is your only chance to see it in person before we digitise it."This week CSU's Mr Timothy Crutchett will take a series of high-tech gigapan photographs of the exhibit. His previous 'gigapan khayamiya' can be seen here - http://scci.csu.edu.au/gigapixelproject/ Just click on an example, view it on full screen, then zoom in slowly."The resolution on these digital images is mind-blowing," Dr Bowker said. "It allows the viewer to see individual stitches from many metres away. These 'gigapans' help to preserve this endangered Egyptian textile art by letting huge or fragile textiles be studied online, accessible to anyone who wants to see them."Dr Bowker explained that the significance of the exhibit is not that the textile is temporarily available for view, but rather it is the actual CSU project of hi-tech digitisation of this textile."This is significant because we're breaking new ground with photographic technology using a remarkable Egyptian textile," Dr Bowker said. "The time it spends on the wall is only intended to be brief, because the photographs through the gigapan system at Charles Sturt University are extraordinary."These kinds of photographs are usually used for large-scale landscape panoramas, not textile surfaces. The Google Cultural Institute uses a similar technology, but we're using it for Egyptian khayamiya."The exhibit finishes after 4pm on Friday 5 May.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) researchers are working with local health services to improve the rehabilitation of adults who have had strokes in southern NSW.CSU's Dr Melissa Nott and Dr Leah Wiseman from Albury Wodonga Health are seeking to improve the uptake and use of evidence-based guidelines from the National Stroke Foundation to help people who have had a stroke in a single comprehensive website.The website was developed in collaboration between CSU, Murrumbidgee Local Health District and Albury-Wodonga Health as part of the Best Evidence for Stroke Therapies (BEST) project."We developed the BEST website to encourage people with stroke to drive their own recovery with assistance from their carers and local clinicians," said Dr Nott, a researcher and occupational therapy lecturer with the School of Community Health at CSU in Albury-Wodonga.['Cheryl' from Wagga Wagga tells her story here on the importance of a team approach to her rehabilitation after a stroke.]Resources available for patients and carers on the website include 'step-by-step' guides, information and instructions sheets and videos, home activity records and goal setting worksheets. On the same site, clinicians can access 'how-to' videos, implementation checklists and evidence summaries to help them implement and evaluate their stroke-related care."We wanted to provide all the information that would be needed by both patients and clinicians so that clinicians feel more confident to implement the National Stroke Guidelines and that patients receive the best quality care," Dr Nott said."Geographical distance from health services can make it difficult for patients in regional NSW to access outpatient services once they have been discharged from hospital. This website offers an alternative way to ensure all patients can access the highest quality rehabilitation."Stroke is associated with cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death and disease burden in Australia. The rate of cardiovascular disease in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District is significantly higher than the NSW average and is a priority area for the region.The BEST project uses the website as part of an investigation into how to improve outcomes for people who have had a stroke in regional and remote areas of Australia.The project and website will be officially launched in Wagga Wagga at the Acute Stroke Unit, Wagga Wagga Rural Referral Hospital, at 12.30pm on Thursday 4 May.Results from the project are due in June 2018. The project is funded by NSW Health and its Translational Research Grant Scheme.

The 2017 season of Charles Sturt University (CSU) student theatre productions in Wagga Wagga will be launched on Thursday 27 April.Students enrolled in acting and design in the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries will produce six plays for the University Theatre Ensemble (UTE) season at the CSU Riverina Playhouse in Wagga Wagga in coming months.Lecturer in design for theatre and television Ms Sophie Kurylowicz said, "These real-theatre-making experiences are important for our students as they prepare them to step into professional roles upon graduation."This is an exciting time for all involved as they are in the process of busily constructing sets, props and costumes as well as working in the rehearsal room to bring these shows to life."Also, for the first time this year we have collaborated with the graphic design students to design the season brochure. Third-year graphics students were set an assessable assignment to treat the UTE as a client, and create a brochure for our season of plays. We then chose one design that we wanted brought to life, and we're thrilled with the result."I encourage everyone to attend our productions. Details about how to buy tickets will be on the performance posters and in the brochure made available at the season launch."Our productions are of interest to local high school students who are keen to know more about what we do here in performing arts at Charles Sturt University."The Head of the School of Communication and Creative Industries, Dr Sue Wood, will host the launch at 7pm Thursday 27 April at the Riverina Playhouse in Cross Street, Wagga Wagga.