* Annual CSU Faculty of Science symposium in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 June showcases variety and breadth of its research * More than 50 research presentations at symposium * Faculty’s new post-doctoral Fellows to present their research findingsCharles Sturt University (CSU) higher degree by research (HDR) and Honours students will deliver more than 50 presentations on their research topics at the annual Faculty of Science Symposium and Dinner in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 June.Sub Dean (Graduate Studies) in the CSU Faculty of Science Associate Professor Sandra Savocchia said the packed schedule will also include special presentations by three of the new Faculty post-doctoral Fellows who will report on the latest outcomes from their research.“The annual symposium gives HDR and Honours students in the Faculty of Science the opportunity to present their research to fellow students and staff at the University and to share their research ideas,” said Professor Savocchia who is based at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre at CSU.“This annual event showcases the extraordinary variety and breadth of research in the Faculty and is a great way to support students through their research and for students to network, especially those who study remotely.“The students also have the opportunity to attend a professional development workshop on ‘building emotional resilience’ presented by Ms Kylie Bell.”The guest speaker at the symposium dinner on Thursday night is Faculty of Science post-doctoral Fellow Dr Adam Frew who is building his research portfolio by investigating the ecology of silicon in soil-plant-insect interactions in order to answer questions about the natural world. Dr Frew will speak to the audience about his journey from Scotland to gaining his current position at CSU.Post-doctoral Fellow Dr Sarah Verdon will speak to the students about the two foci of her research, Supporting the speech, language and communication development of culturally and linguistically diverse children, and Developing a culturally responsive health workforce.Another Fellow to speak, Dr James Turner, studies how animals must balance energy intake with energy expenditure to survive, reproduce, and maintain healthy populations. To better understand the mechanisms enabling these responses, he studied the thermal biology of cryptic Australian marsupials, North American bat disease ecology, and urban wildlife adaptation in Europe using a combination of field and laboratory techniques.Post-doctoral Fellow Dr Joanna Gambetta will describe how geographical origin affects the berry chemical composition and quality grade of Chardonnay grapes.Some of the more than 50 research topics explored by the students include: * An exploration of a tailored cardiovascular exercise and education program for Aboriginal men in a regional centre (Brett Biles) * An examination of women in leadership positions in sport: A case study of Australian Rules Football (Kelsey Richards) * Verification of the production system of origin of grass and grain fed beef (Bridgette Logan) * Phenolic extracts of Mentha and their role in controlling Alzheimers disease (Doaa Hanafy) * What is the effect of scale in hydraulic modelling for the in-stream river flow? (Inam Ahmed) * An exploration of Greek migrant experiences and later life emotional wellbeing: A qualitative study (Georgia Tziros) * Digesting and understanding Australian rice after heat processing (Michelle Toutounji) * The storied self in tourism spaces: Using a qualitative narrative methodology as a framework for understanding self-identity in Niseko, Japan (Kim Nelson) * Factors influencing maternal health outcomes: A mixed method study in rural northern Ghana (Joshua Sumankuuro) * Effect of continuous or sprint interval exercise training on prognostic cardiovascular health measures in sedentary obese middle-aged men (Blake Collins) * Environmental water recovery in the Murray-Darling Basin (Michael Vanderzee)

* Due to immigration and visa rules four CSU International students are not permitted to attend their official Graduation. * To celebrate their hard work and achievements, CSU is holding a special graduation. Charles Sturt University (CSU) is committed to giving its students the best experience possible, even when they can’t stay for their graduation.Four Australia Award Students will complete their studies at the end of session one, this year. However, due to immigration and visa rules the students are not permitted to attend the official graduation at the end of the year.Office for Students, Liaison Officer (International) Mrs Jacquie Blomfield, said “We want to celebrate their achievements by holding the special graduation photos.”The Wagga Wagga community is invited to come along and help celebrate the achievements of the International students at the Wagga Wagga campus.‘We are pleased to be able to support and celebrate the success of our international students.’“Charles Sturt University is dedicated to supporting its International students from pre-departure right through to graduation. This supports and assists the students to successfully achieve their academic success.” Mrs Blomfield concluded. * Event detailsDate: Wednesday 27 June  Time: 10:30am to 12pmLocation: Joyes Hall CSU Wagga Wagga.

* CSU Riverina Playhouse refurbishment nears completion and will reopen soon * $3 million upgrade to seating, lighting, access, and amenities * Environmental sustainability features include energy efficient lighting and water-saving fittingsMuch needed refurbishments to the Riverina Playhouse at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will soon be completed and the well-known Wagga Wagga cultural facility will be reopened in July.Director of the CSU Division of Facilities Management, Mr Stephen Butt, said the temporary closure of the Playhouse in October 2017 was a necessary inconvenience but the end results are worth it.Mr Butt said, “While the closure caused some disruption for staff, students and those community groups who make use of the facility, the work that was carried out to the Playhouse has ensured the facility is state-of-the art and even better able to serve the needs of the creative arts into the future.”The refurbishment cost an estimated $3 million and delivers upgraded amenities to ensure the Riverina Playhouse includes disabled access and facilities, upgrades to the theatre seating, new lighting grid systems, wall and floor furnishings, new auditorium layout with new theatre chairs providing generous leg room, new emergency and exit lighting, and a re-organised foyer area.Head of the School of Communication and Creative Industries Ms Sue Wood said, “Staff and students in the School of Communication and Creative Industries are delighted with the upgrade and look forward to working in the newly improved theatre”.The refurbishment project officer Mr Neal Molineaux said the enhancements to the Playhouse will benefit performers and audiences.“The environment will also benefit from some of the upgrades, with a key focus on sustainability features,” Mr Molineaux said. “The newly-installed mechanical systems and lighting are energy efficient, and water saving fittings have been added to the hydraulic systems.”The Riverina Playhouse was established in 1986 and has had limited improvements since then.  CSU students have been using alternative venues at CSU in Wagga Wagga and other community facilities during the refurbishment.

* Call for stroke patients living in southern NSW to take part in an ‘at home’ rehabilitation project.* 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.* Project participants and carers will have access to extensive support materials and phone support for 12 weeks.* Participating clinicians will also receive support as part of the project.Have you had a stroke in the last six months and live in or near Albury-Wodonga or Wagga Wagga? Do you experience cognitive or upper limb difficulties? A research team supported by Charles Sturt University (CSU), Murrumbidgee Local Health District and Albury-Wodonga Health are looking for participants to test a program over 12 weeks that assists patients in their recovery from the debilitating effects of stroke.Participants and their carers will have access to the Best Evidence for Stroke Therapies (BEST) website that can help stroke patients to regain some or all of their capabilities before the stroke occurred.Project leader Dr Melissa Nott (pictured left), an occupational therapy lecturer with the CSU School of Community Health, is part of the team that developed the BEST website.“The website is a one-stop shop for helpful resources including 'step-by-step' guides, information and instruction sheets and videos, home activity records and goal setting worksheets.“On the same site, clinicians such as occupational therapists and speech pathologists can access 'how-to' videos, implementation checklists and evidence summaries to help them implement and evaluate their stroke-related care of patients, working as a team with the stoke patient."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," said Dr Nott said, who is based at CSU in Albury-Wodonga."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."See 'Cheryl' from Wagga Wagga as she tells her story on the importance of a team approach to her rehabilitation after a stroke.The program incorporates use of the BEST website (pictured right) with phone coaching and training for clinicians to help stroke patients drive their own recovery from home over 12 weeks, supported by the research team.“The BEST website has been trialled and refined since 2017, and we are now ready to expand its use across areas covered by the Murrumbidgee Local Health District and Albury-Wodonga Health.“Positive results for this expanded trial will have application for rehabilitation services across regional Australia and for patients living in isolated circumstances.”To apply to join the BEST project or for further information, contact Ms Tana Cuming on 02 6051 9266 or email bestresearch@csu.edu.au.

* CSU coding comp aims to improve school students’ coding skills * Students to solve several coding challenges in various programming languages * Coding comp supports students to aspire to a career in IT and computingCharles Sturt University (CSU) is hosting a coding competition on Friday 25 May for 16 students in Years 11 and 12 from high schools in the Wagga Wagga region.Dr Arif Khan (pictured), course director in the CSU School of Computing and Mathematics said, “The aim of the event is to bring together high school students interested in IT and coding, and provide a fun activity for them to improve their skills.“The University has organised the event and has designed the program because we are keen to support these students and provide them with the opportunity to learn about computing and improve their coding skills.“The program will involve solving a number of coding challenges in various programming languages.“Lecturers will be teaching and guiding the students throughout the program, to support and encourage high school students to study on-campus and go into a career in IT and computing.”The winner of the competition will receive a $100 gift voucher and a certificate of achievement. All attendees will get a certificate of participation.The coding competition is from 9.15am to 1.15pm in the Library (room 1012, building 13) at CSU in Wagga Wagga.

* CSU to boost ABC stargazing world record attempt on Wednesday 23 May * CSU will host ‘Star Parties’ in Port Macquarie, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga * Aiming to beat previous 2015 world record of 7,960 stargazers in 37 locationsCharles Sturt University (CSU) will host three ‘Star Parties’ as part of the ABC’s Stargazing Live Guinness World Record Attempt for ‘Most People Stargazing Across Multiple Venues’ on Wednesday evening 23 May.CSU will host events in Wagga Wagga, Port Macquarie, and Bathurst.Head of Campus of CSU in Wagga Wagga Ms Miriam Dayhew said, “Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga is delighted to host a Star Party as part of the ABC’s Live National Guinness World Record Attempt, for the ‘Most People Stargazing Across Multiple Venues’.“This will be a family-friendly fun event and is a great way to show off our facilities in Wagga Wagga. Everybody is welcome to come along and take part in this world record attempt.“This event is open to the community and free to attend, but you must register.”In Wagga Wagga: 7pm to 10pm at CSU the event will be hosted by the CSU Science Club in the Physics Lab courtyard, in front of the Radiography Lab (building 10). Participants are advised to dress warmly.To register: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/charles-sturt-university-science-club-star-party-tickets-45847937415

* Computer coding training for Riverina teachers and female high school students * AgriTech Incubator supports women and girls into tech and entrepreneurial activitiesThe AgriTech Incubator at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga will host computer coding training for teachers and students from Riverina schools on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 May.Following the success of the 2017 event, the 2018 sessions will again be delivered by Code Club Australia which teaches students how to program by showing them how to make computer games, animations and websites. Code Club also delivers training to equip teachers with the confidence and ability to teach their students to code.Professor of Food Engineering in the CSU School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, John Mawson (pictured), said, “The AgriTech Incubator teacher training day on Wednesday 16 May is fully booked, and over 90 students are expected to attend the coding event on Thursday17 May, to learn how to create a rainbow predictor using Python and Raspberry Pi programs.“Students and teachers are travelling from towns across the Riverina − Cootamundra, Griffith, Junee, Leeton, Tullibigeal, Wagga Wagga, and Young − to attend the events.“Offering specialised programs supporting women and girls into tech and entrepreneurial activities is just one of the goals of the AgriTech Incubator.“The 2018 event follows the successful AgriTech Incubator at Charles Sturt University which delivered its first coding event specifically for Years 9 and 10 female high school students in the Wagga Wagga region in November 2017. Then, students created computer generated modern art, using Python, and the event was very well received by both students and teachers.“The teachers at that event also noted they would greatly value a training day to improve their ability to support STEM related initiatives in their schools,” Professor Mawson said.The coding events will be held at the AgriTech Incubator, building 6, CSU in Wagga Wagga (car park 11) from 10am Wednesday 16 (for teachers) and Thursday 17 May (for students).The AgriTech Incubator is funded by the NSW Department of Industry with significant additional funding from CSU, with the coding events being in partnership with Code Club Australia (https://codeclubau.org/).

* Medical science conference in Wagga Wagga on Saturday 19 May * Presentations by three CSU medical science academicsThree Charles Sturt University (CSU) medical science academics will present papers at the annual 2018 NSW South-West Division of the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists (AIMS) conference in Wagga Wagga on Saturday 19 MayDr Thiru Vanniasinkam (pictured left), senior lecturer in immunology in the CSU School of Biomedical Sciences in Wagga Wagga said, “Organisers expect up to 70 people to attend the AIMS conference from across the NSW South-West region, including from Griffith, Dubbo, Bathurst, Orange, Wagga Wagga, and smaller places in between.“We also expect participants from the Sydney region, and this year we hope to have a few from Victoria since Wagga Wagga is relatively close to the border,” Dr Thiru Vanniasinkam said.There will be 13 scientific presentations, with three by medical scientists from the CSU School of Biomedical Sciences: * Dr Thiru Vanniasinkam, senior lecturer in immunology, ‘Antibiotic resistance in Camylobacter jejuni in NSW’ * Dr Philip Bwititi, senior lecturer in biochemistry, ‘Oxidative stress’ * Dr Wouter Kalle, lecturer in biomedical sciences, ‘DNA Diagnostic – from karyotype to NGS’The conference organisers have offered discounted student registrations for the conference day to engage with students enrolled in the medical science degree at CSU in Wagga Wagga.“Conferences like this are valuable to the region, as they provide Continuing Professional Development (CPD) within the pathology industry as our scientific program caters to the interests of scientists who are multi-disciplined,” Dr Vanniasinkam said.“Being proficient in a number disciplines is often required of scientists working in the smaller regional and peripheral laboratories, while those working in the bigger central laboratories are more likely to specialise,” Dr Vanniasinkam concluded.For more information see the conference flyer: https://www.aims.org.au/documents/item/982Or visit the website: https://www.aims.org.au/events/event/nsw-south-west-div-conference-2018-fThe annual 2018 NSW South-West Division of the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists conference will be held at the Rules Club, 188 Fernleigh Street, in Wagga Wagga on Saturday 19 May.

* Award-winning author Lili Wilkinson at Booranga to present reading and workshops * Free Public Reading from 5 pm to 7pm on Thursday 3 May at Historic Council Chambers, Baylis Street * Writing Workshop from 2pm to 4pm Saturday 12 May at Booranga Writers’ Centre, Mambarra DriveBooranga Writers’ Centre in Wagga Wagga will this week welcome a new writer-in-residence, award-winning young adult author Ms Lili Wilkinson (pictured), for a two-week residency.Adjunct senior lecturer in English at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Wagga Wagga and President of Booranga Writers’ Centre Mr David Gilbey said Ms Wilkinson is Booranga’s second writer-in-residence for 2018.“We try to invite writers who have published in different genres and styles at Booranga, and we’re very excited to have such an accomplished ‘Gen Y’ young adult author coming here,” Mr Gilbey said.Ms Wilkinson is the award-winning author of eleven books, including Green Valentine and Pink. She established insideadog.com.au and the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Lili has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Melbourne, and now spends most of her time reading and writing books for children and teenagers. Her latest novel is The Boundless Sublime.Mr Gilbey said, “Lili’s writing has received many commendations and we particularly like her interest in what might be called the ‘surreal’ intersections between reality and consciousness (Lili says she enjoyed and was influenced by Lewis Carroll’s Alice Through the Looking Glass), especially as it affects young adult readers.“Her latest novel, The Boundless Sublime, takes readers to some of the dark places – unhappy families, overwhelming personal sadness and the deceptive seductions of cult membership. Her characterisation is strong, and the narrative engaging.“While at Booranga, Lili will speak to on-campus students taking the subject Australian Children’s Literature, focussing on her next project about fairy tales,” Mr Gilbey concluded.Ms Wilkinson’s Booranga writer-in-residence events are:* Public Reading from 5 pm to 7pm on Thursday 3 May at Historic Council Chambers, Fitzmaurice Street Wagga Wagga; Free, but bookings essential as seating is limited. RSVP* Writing Workshop from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday 12 May at Booranga Writers’ Centre, Mambarra Drive, Wagga Wagga; cost: Free for members, a $10 donation is requested from non-members. RSVPMore information about Ms Wilkinson can be found at http://liliwilkinson.com.au/For more information contact Booranga President, Mr David Gilbey dgilbey@csu.edu.au or Creative Director Ms Kathryn Halliwell director@booranga.com