Emeritus Professor John Dwyer, AO, will deliver a public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Wednesday 5 September in support of the University’s bid to establish a new rural medical school to boost the supply of ‘doctors for the bush’. Professor Dwyer is the founder of the Australian Health Care Reform, and has been working with CSU to establish a medical school in regional areas. He has championed the resurgence of clinician governance in Australia, is involved in efforts to create structural reform within the Australian health care delivery system, and is adamant that health outcomes for rural Australians are just not acceptable in such a wealthy nation. The Head of Campus at CSU in Bathurst, Mr Col Sharp, will host the free public lecture and says, “Bathurst Campus is delighted to host this presentation by Professor Dwyer – a national leader in health care provision, who speaks with authority on health care outcomes for rural Australians. This is a chance for the Bathurst community to hear first hand about the state of rural health care and what needs to be done - from someone who really knows. I urge everyone with an interest in this issue to attend to hear Professor Dwyer and to have their questions answered.” The public lecture will be at 6pm on Wednesday 5 September at the James Hardie Room, Centre for Professional Development at CSU in Bathurst. Refreshments will be served. RSVP by Friday 31 August to Ms Julie Brabham on (02) 6338 4645 or send an email. 

The independent federal member for New England, Mr Tony Windsor, MP, will be the guest speaker at the biennial Tony McGrane Memorial Scholarship Dinner at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo on Monday 24 September. The Acting Head of Campus at CSU in Dubbo, Dr Patricia Logan, said, “We are delighted that Mr Windsor has agreed to speak at the dinner. As a rural independent like Mr McGrane, Mr Windsor brings a regional perspective and voice to policy deliberations, and his contribution as guest speaker at the dinner will provide insight into some of the topical issues confronting the nation.” Mr McGrane, OAM, was a former Mayor of Dubbo (1991-99) and was subsequently the independent Member for Dubbo in the NSW Parliament. The memorial scholarship fund was established in his name in 2010 to ensure that students from western NSW are able to gain a university education. Tickets for the dinner are on sale for $130 per head. To purchase, please contact Ms Christine Stewart at CSU on (02) 6885 7370.

Slip-sliding slapstick action will be centre stage at the Ponton Theatre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst when the physical theatre production Too Bloody Right hits the boards from Thursday 9 to Saturday 11 August. The production by second-year theatre/media students is directed by Mr Daniel Aubin, lecturer in theatre/media at the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst. “Too Bloody Right is the outcome of a five-week process, exploring the role of human rights in our modern society through a mixture of acrobatics, table-sliding, ‘mockumentary’, and food puppetry,” Mr Aubin said. “It uses comedy to look at a serious topic. The show is a lot of fun, and features a spectacular table-sliding circus act.” Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for non-students at the door for a 7.30pm start.

A significant funding increase from Charles Sturt University (CSU) for higher degree research places has resulted in a large intake of doctoral and Master students in the University’s School of Environmental Sciences, working with supervisors in the Institute for Land, Water and Society. Eight students from as far as Mexico, Bhutan, Zimbabwe, China and USA have joined nine students from around Australia in full-time and part-time studies on the Albury-Wodonga Campus, with topics ranging from yak herders in Bhutan to snow leopard conservation in Nepal. ILWS Director Professor Max Finlayson said the number of international students at ILWS highlighted the quality of research undertaken at the University. “Many issues we face in the Murray Darling Basin are faced around the world. We are part of a world group of scientists addressing issues on the local and global stage,” Professor Finlayson said. Most of these students will be welcomed to the Institute during an ‘Aussie’ morning tea commencing at 10.30am on Thursday 9 August.

A Science and Health Expo at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga will highlight courses, facilities and projects on offer on the campus on Saturday 11 August between 11.30am and 3pm. The Expo will feature solar telescopes, tours of CSU’s state-of-the-art health education facilities, and Oral Health and Dental Clinic as well as the University’s internationally renowned environmentally designed campus at Thurgoona, interactive information sessions showcasing health and science courses offered by CSU, jumping castles, music and the Gums Café open for visitors. “We welcome the community to experience the excellence in health and science education, research and facilities that underpins Charles Sturt University’s courses in these fields,” said Head of CSU in Albury-Wodonga, Professor Julia Coyle. The Expo is part of National Science Week, which is hosted on the Border by CSU and the Astronomical Society of Albury-Wodonga.

“One of the greatest challenges of modern neuroscience is understanding what happens to the brain as we age and why it becomes vulnerable to diseases such as Alzheimer’s,” said Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher Dr Adam Hamlin. Dr Hamlin, from CSU’s School of Biomedical Sciences,  will talk about our Amazing Brain in a free public lecture in Griffith on Wednesday 15 August. Almost 280 000 Australians suffer from dementia and that figure is expected to rise as the population ages. Dr Hamlin will outline current breakthroughs in our understanding of the processes that occur in neurodegenerative diseases and what scientists are doing to find potential treatments for these conditions. A national Health and Medical Research Council Fellow, Dr Hamlin is carrying out research to discover more about brain cell death in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Australian Football League (AFL) and the Greater Western Sydney ‘Giants’ team are forging links with the School of Human Movement Studies at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst this week. Representatives of the AFL and Giants will deliver a guest lecture to CSU sport journalism and exercise science students today, and will provide a coaching clinic on Friday 3 August. Dr Jaquelyn Osborne, course director and lecturer at the School of Human Movement Studies said, “This is an exciting development for the School and the AFL. Mr Richard Griffiths, the Chief Operating Officer of the Greater Western Sydney Giants, the newest AFL team, is visiting the School to forge a new relationship between the University and the club which will include possible work-experience placement opportunities for our students, guest speakers, and internships.” The guest lecture was at 2pm Wednesday 1 August in building C2, room 240.

Accomplished Indigenous singer / songwriter Mr Kutcha Edwards will encourage more than 200 Indigenous high school students and family members from southern NSW to think about careers and future choices, in an event to be held at Mirambeena in Lavington on Thursday 19 July. Sponsored by Charles Sturt University (CSU), NSW Department of Education and Communities and Parent and Community Engagement (PaCE), the day will also include workshops for the Years 7 to 12 students and their parents presented by high achieving Indigenous community members and past students from CSU, Riverina and Wodonga Institutes of TAFE, and Mungabareena Health.  “We will be showing these students the range of careers and choices they can make and the support that is being offered to them, while also showing families how they can support their children in their choices,” CSU education lecturer and event coordinator Mr Paul Grover said. Mr Edwards will tell his story and perform for the students between 11am and 12noon.

A local perspective on, and planning for, a possible avian influenza outbreak is the subject of a public forum to be held in Albury this Thursday 3 November. Hosting the free public event is Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Institute for Land Water and Society. Entitled Bird Flu - a local perspective, the forum will hear from four local speakers including CSU’s Dr David Roshier. Speakers will field questions from the audience during the forum, which will be chaired by the Head of CSU School of Environmental and Information Sciences, Professor Nick Klomp. The evening commences at 6.30pm in the University’s Nowik Auditorium, Guinea Street, Albury. All are welcome, with light refreshments available. Attendees are asked to RSVP to Kris Deegan on telephone (02) 6051 9992 or send an email.