One of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) newest buildings has been named a winner at a regional construction awards ceremony. At the Master Builders Association’s southern-central regions of NSW construction awards, building contractors Burton Constructions received the award for its work on the Kay Hull Veterinary Teaching Hospital at CSU in Wagga Wagga. On Friday 16 July, the building took out the category of Best Commercial Project $2-3 million. The hospital complex opened in April 2010 as a clinical training facility for students in the three final years of their six-year Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree at CSU. The judges noted “…the good use of materials, the integration of the hospital with accommodation quarters and the use of the latest technology to provide a functional and low maintenance building”. Read more about the Kay Hull Veterinary Teaching Hospital here.

A team of seven physiotherapy, nursing and paramedic students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) will repeat last year’s medical assistance to mountain bike riders in the Tour de Timor race around Timor Leste. CSU physiotherapy lecturer Mr Tim Retchford will this year lead the students in their provision of medical support for the mountainous race. “Last year we treated up to 60 patients a day for everything from knee and back strains to dislocations, abrasions and fractures,” Mr Retchford said. “We dine with the competitors each morning, travel ahead of them to the finish to set up our mobile clinic, and help ‘patch them up’ at the end of leg so the riders can get back into the race the next day. Our students gain invaluable professional experience treating injured athletes as well as witnessing this amazing country and bicycle race up close. It is a fantastic experience.”  The Tour de Timor starts in the capital Dili on Monday 13 September and finishes back in Dili on Friday 17 September. The Tour de Timor is 410 km.

How will climate change affect social change? This question will be explored in a free public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo on Wednesday 15 September. Dr Bruce Fell, lecturer in the School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU in Bathurst, will examine the implications of climate change in his presentation titled Climate change means social change: How film, television and the Internet can help, from 6pm in room 422. He says, “The literature on global ecological degradation is substantial, but the reasons western society is having difficulty coming to terms with the issue is less understood. Understanding the relationship between humans, ecological awareness and ‘the screen’, particularly television, is more central to our personal and community well-being than is currently given credit”.  

During its fifth anniversary, the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation - a collaborative alliance between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Industry & Investment NSW - will launch its new field site in Wagga Wagga. The 13 hectare field site will be launched from 9am on Wednesday 8 September. The NSW Natural Resources Commissioner, adjunct Professor at CSU, John Williams, will address the field site launch from 9.15am on Optimising food productivity and environmental protection. A program for the launch of the new field site can be found on the EH Graham Centre site. 

A ceremony to be held at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga tomorrow Wednesday 8 September will mark the lengthy contributions made by numerous staff to the development of the institution for the past three decades. A lunch hosted by Head of Campus in Wagga Wagga Mr Adrian Lindner will be held at CSU in Wagga Wagga to honour 10 staff who have worked for CSU and its predecessor institutions for 20 or 30 years. Lecturer with the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences  Mr Warren Lusby and document production officer with the Division of Learning and Teaching Services Ms Lynda Lawrence will be recognised for 30 years of service at this ceremony. A second ceremony will be held for a further nine staff on Tuesday 21 September. Those receiving the 30 year honour at this event include Ms Cheryl Honey, contracts officer with the Division of Facilities Management, senior lecturer with the School of Information Studies Mr Roy Sanders and production officer Mr John Jones from the School of Communication and Creative Industries.

Four school students will make a difference to their charity of choice through a Charles Sturt University (CSU) social justice award. The Social Justice Innovation Award offered through the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSU gives teenagers a platform to write about Making a Difference. The judges included senior social work lecturer, Dr Bill Anscombe, and poet and recently-retired English lecturer, Mr David Gilbey. “Although we only advertised the competition in NSW and the ACT, we also received entries from Victoria and the Northern Territory. This highlights the fact that there are a lot of school students with writing talents keen to be involved in the project,” Dr Anscombe said. They winners of Making a Difference 2010 are Mr Kieran Hennessy from Great Lakes Tuncurry Senior High School, Mr Reid Butler from Merewether High School,  Ms Alexandra Jones from Pymble Ladies College and Ms Tara Whitsed of Corryong College.  Their nominated charities, World Vision, Red Cross, Love146 and beyondblue will each receive $250 from CSU.

The CSU Global Where in the World exhibition will finish its travels when it reaches Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Monday 6 September. CSU Global, the University’s student exchange program, ran a Facebook competition to collect images from international student travels. A cash prize of $500 was awarded to the winning student in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga. Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Clinical Practice (Paramedic) student Ms Lauren Owen submitted an image she took in Luang Prabang in Laos. “I like this photograph because it depicts a tradition within the Buddhist community that has been followed for hundreds of years; it shows an ability to enjoy the simple traditions of life, pleasures often lost in a fast paced society,” Ms Owen said. “Having my photograph exhibited gave me a great sense of pride knowing people had viewed, voted and appreciated my work.”  

Three public schools in the Riverina will be on show next week as a Japanese delegation visits the region to learn more about school education in Australia. The three academics and five students from Yamagata University in north east Japan will visit the region from Monday 6 September to Friday 10 September. Hosted by Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga, the delegation will be given an overview of school education in Australia by senior lecturer Dr Brian Hemmings from the School of Education at CSU in Wagga Wagga on Monday 6 September. They will then visit The Rock Primary School on Tuesday 7 September, Wagga Wagga High School on Wednesday 8 September and Wagga Wagga Public School on Friday 10 September.  The delegates will inspect classrooms and lead activities with the school students such as a Japanese Food and Culture program at The Rock. “We anticipate that this visit will forge a stronger link between the two universities in Australia and Japan. We are also interested in talking about the possibility of teacher education students from Charles Sturt University visiting Yamagata in 2011 or 2012 to give them an international perspective in their studies, ” Dr Hemmings said.

Oral health programs from across Australia, Fiji and New Zealand will be represented at a meeting being held at the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga this week. The Oral Health Educators’ meeting will be held from 8.30am to 4pm on Friday 3 September. Thirty academics who teach the Bachelor of oral health programs within dentistry schools in the three counties will discuss issues such as new developments in oral health programs and regulations. The meeting is being held at CSU in Wagga Wagga following its new oral health program which began in 2009. Representing CSU at the meeting is the Head of School of Dentistry and Health Sciences, Professor David Wilson, and acting Director of the Oral Health and Dental Clinic, Mrs Helen Tane. The University introduced its Bachelor of Oral Health (Therapy/Hygiene) at CSU in Wagga Wagga and its Bachelor of Dental Science at CSU in Orange in 2009