Students from Maclean High School on the NSW North Coast have won the 2016 Charles Sturt University (CSU) business simulation competition, Game On.The virtual business game, hosted annually by CSU's School of Management and Marketing, requires student teams from Years 10 and 11 create their own virtual business and compete for a major prize and regional prizes for their schools.In 2016, 630 students from 30 schools competed, with Maclean High School (Commerce 5) taking out the competition's major prize of $2 500.Head of the CSU School of Management and Marketing and simulation coordinator Associate Professor Mark Frost said, "Hands-on experience is vital for a successful start in the business sector and it's never too young to start learning."Students have to create their own virtual business and ensure its success in a simulated market environment."The competition is designed to complement the Stage 6 NSW Business Studies curriculum and covers topics including finance, human resource management, marketing, and operations."We hope the competition sparks a passion in the students for business or inspires the world's next great entrepreneurs. I congratulate the students from Maclean High School for their 2016 Game On competition win."Regional prizes of up to $1 000 were taken out by Willyama High School in Broken Hill, Kildare Catholic College in Wagga Wagga, Goulburn MET School, and James Fallon High School in Albury. Also, students at Radford College in Canberra won a small consolation pool prize for their efforts.Further information is available on the Game On website.Details of accounting, business, human resources, management and marketing programs offered by the CSU School of Management and Marketing are available here.

Indigenous girls from two high schools in Albury and Wagga Wagga will take part in a camp designed to build their awareness of culture and higher education.The 20 students from Year 10 at Mount Austin and Murray high schools will attend the cultural careers camp, being organised by Charles Sturt University (CSU), from Tuesday 22 to Thursday 24 November.The event at the Borambola Sports and Recreation Centre is part of CSU's Future Moves, a program designed to encourage school students from regional and rural areas to attend university.Future Moves' Ms Lyn Cooper, said, "This is a chance for the Indigenous teenagers from different schools to explore their culture and their future in a fun and supportive environment."The students will take part in activities, such as kayaking and rock climbing, to build self-esteem and will be inspired by the journeys of other Aboriginal women."The girls will work with local artists, Sydney's Belvoir St Theatre and CSU staff and undergraduate student leaders on a range of activities and workshops over the three days.An 'Inspirational Women's Dinner' will be held from 6pm on Wednesday 23 November for the school students, community members, local Elders and CSU staff.

From chickpeas to mungbeans and soybeans to lupins, a free symposium at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will explore research into the production, marketing and potential health benefits of pulses.Hosting the event on Monday 28 November is the Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Functional Grains, with support from CSU and NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI).Centre Director, Professor Chris Blanchard said, "This is the International Year of Pulses and the symposium is an opportunity to hear from leading researchers and market experts about the future of production, global demand and consumption of pulses.""It's not just for farmers, we hope that advisors and health professionals will also come along to learn more."CSU scientists and PhD students will discuss chickpea consumption in India, the use of lupins for more than cattle feed and the nutritional and processing properties of some popular pulses.The symposium also includes speakers from Austrade, Pulse Australia, NSW DPI, the Grains and Legumes Nutritional Council and processor, AGT Foods Australia.NSW DPI pulse research will be on show, including the Pulse Breeding Australia (PBA) breeding trials. The trials include chickpea, lentil, faba bean, lupin and fieldpeas. NSW DPI researcher Mr Mark Richards and PBA pulse breeders will be on hand to discuss breeding objectives and recent advancements.The Future of Pulse Production and Consumption symposium begins with a field walk at 8am on Monday 28 November and runs through until 5pm.Read the full program and register here.

Academics and actors will come together at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga this week to inspire high school students to think differently about science and history.On Thursday 17 November, 25 Year 8 students from Wagga Wagga High School will attend a workshop explaining the science behind historical events like the bubonic plague.Academics from CSU's School of Biomedical Sciences and School of Animal and Veterinary Science will be joined by CSU Bachelor of Stage and Screen (Acting) students from the School of Communication and Creative Industries to bring history to life, all with a scientific twist."Our aim is to show these high school students that science can be fun and that has an influence on all aspects of society, both in the past and today," said Dr Thiru Vanniasinkam, a senior lecturer from CSU's School of Biomedical Sciences."This is not a regular laboratory session, with the help of actors in costume we will take the students on an interactive scientific journey through history."The program is an initiative of Dr Vanniasinkam, senior lecturer in plant science Dr John Harper, lecturer in acting for stage and screen Dr Dominique Sweeney and Wagga Wagga High School history teacher Ms Trish Henderson.The workshop will run from 10am to 12noon at the National Life Sciences Hub at CSU in Wagga Wagga.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) accepted a generous donation from a Junee woman on Thursday 10 November to help with the funding of research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Mrs Margaret Flagg presented a cheque valued at $2 200 to the Head of the CSU School of Biomedical Sciences Professor Rod Hill.Mrs Flagg lost her 70 year old husband, John, to MND in November 2014 and has raised the money through community events such as a luncheon, bowls day and raffles."My husband was diagnosed with the disease in 2011," Mrs Flagg said. "I promised him I would continue my family's efforts to raise awareness of this dreadful condition as well as raise funds to help researchers working in this field."MND is a neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The disease affects the motor neurones that control the muscles which allow people to move, speak, breathe and swallow.  Professor Hill said, "Charles Sturt University is very grateful for the support of Mrs Flagg."Several researchers, including myself, are working in the general field of neuroscience."MND and other diseases of the nervous system seem to have common links where certain genes appear to have altered or messed up function. "Degeneration of the nervous system can have devastating effects.  Our researchers are trying to discover what is going wrong with these genes."

Art lovers in Wagga Wagga will have the opportunity to learn of Islamic art from Australian perspectives in a special free lecture series in November and December presented by a CSU expert.Dr Sam Bowker, lecturer in art history and visual culture in the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Wagga Wagga, will deliver the five lectures over consecutive Monday evenings at the Museum of the Riverina's Historic Council Chambers.Dr Bowker said Islamic art spans over 1 300 years from Spain to Indonesia, and includes objects, architecture, textiles and calligraphy in many languages."It's the most global genre in art history, and it's complicated. I'm giving these lectures for armchair travellers who would like to appreciate some of the most beautiful things in the world."Most of the time I teach Australian, European, and Renaissance art for Charles Sturt University. But over the last few years I've been researching the art history of the Egyptian tentmakers. This led me to realise that many Australians have limited access to Islamic art, but we are curious about it. Only one Australian public gallery displays it regularly, and Charles Sturt University is now the only Australian university that offers an online subject in Islamic art and design for undergraduates."My lectures for the Museum of the Riverina are the same lectures that my students receive for the subject ART240: Introduction to Islamic Art and Design. Because this subject has considerable public interest, I'm extending an invitation to anyone who would like to attend." Dr Bowker was raised with an awareness of the complex history of the Middle East as his family worked for the Australian government in Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Jerusalem."Islamic art is an important part of that history, and we don't often see it here," Dr Bowker said. "This lecture series is a good way to understand aspects of the world that we don't often see on TV or in the newspapers - both in the past and present. I'm interested in challenging myths and expectations about this field - like the simplification that images of people are 'banned', or that you need to be a Muslim or speak Arabic if you want to study Islamic art, or that all the best artworks were made centuries ago, or that it's all religious stuff. Those claims are nonsense, and that's why I designed this subject."The series begins at 5.30pm Monday 21 November and concludes on Monday 19 December. Details can be found here: http://www.museumriverina.com.au/events/encounters-with-islamic-art

Produce sourced from the Riverina will feature strongly in the annual Vintage Dinner at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Friday 11 November.Hosted by the Head of Campus for CSU in Wagga Wagga Ms Miriam Dayhew, the four course meal begins at 7pm with canapés and sparkling wine on the lawn under the lemon scented gum trees, originally planted by Mr William Farrer more than 100 years ago.Food and beverage services team leader at CSU in Wagga Wagga Mr Toby Perry said, "We're using Riverina ingredients within each of the four courses, including Charles Sturt University olive oil, antipasto from Griffith, local Artisan bread, apples from Batlow, Hampden Bridge bacon, grass-fed beef and honey sourced from the region."There'll be dedicated Charles Sturt University wines to accompany each course of the dinner, which is being held at the CSU Convention Centre."A team of more than 24 chefs, waitpersons and wine servers will cater for the Vintage Dinner."In addition to the wine and food, live entertainment for the evening will be provided by Wagga Wagga jazz groove quartet, Captain Sassy Pants.  Ms Dayhew said, "This will be a wonderful event to celebrate community, high quality food and wine and great music. I welcome members of the wider community to come and enjoy this annual celebration."Tickets are $98.00 per head and can be booked online through Try Booking here.Two shuttle buses will provide transport from the city to CSU from 6.30pm and return at approximately 12.15am. Further details of the bus routes are available here.For further information about the Vintage Dinner, please contact Ms Patricia Schipp on (02) 6933 2292.

A new exhibition has opened at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga exploring a modern interpretation of South East Asian Peranakan inspired design through flora, fauna and cuisine.The exhibition, Reflection: My Peranakan Journey, is the work of Bachelor of Creative Practice (Honours) student Ms Kerri-Anne Chin.The numerous art works include motif designs and a large scale replica of a traditional Peranakan house. Lecturer in graphic design from the School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU in Wagga Wagga, Dr Belinda Paulovich, said "As graphic designers we're often asked to remove ourselves from our own social and cultural positions, experiences and biases, and view the world from the perspective of our client, our audience or our end-user."However, in this exhibition, Kerri-Anne has done the complete opposite."She reflects inwardly, considers the world from her own social and cultural position and displays a range of designs to present her experience of culture."In doing so, Kerri-Anne asks us to question the meaning of culture in our own lives."The free exhibition runs until Friday 11 November in the School of Communication and Creative Industries, building 21, near car park 5, Darnell-Smith Drive at CSU Wagga Wagga.

Scientists from Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga and students from a local primary school will showcase their energy projects at a science expo on Friday 14 October as part of a national program to encourage their interest in the subject.  The scientists from the Functional Grains Centre at CSU have been working as mentors with the Mater Dei Primary students in 2016 as part of the national MyScience program.Ten mentors from the Centre have helped the Year 5 students to design and create projects including redesigning wind turbines, investigating water wheels and cooking with solar power.The science expo will be held from 10am to 11am at the Mater Dei Primary School for the students to showcase their projects to parents and fellow students.MyScience is a science and technology program to support primary teachers and their students to think and work scientifically. The students learn in groups under the guidance of their mentors.The Functional Grains Centre is funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) to transform the grains industry from a commodity-based industry into a sector producing high quality food and feed products.