A Nobel laureate, stargazing and a Science and Health expo will headline activities at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga during National Science Week in August. Hosted by CSU and the Astronomical Society of Albury-Wodonga, the annual Science Fair will run for three days from Tuesday 14 to Thursday 16 August and will include a public lecture from the winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize for Physics, Dr Brian Schmidt, and CSIRO scientist John Sarkissian, who will show the lost footage of the Apollo missions and Australia’s part in these historic events. During each day, the Science Fair will include guest speakers, interactive workshops, exhibits, stargazing and other activities for pupils from local and surrounding schools at the CSU campus, followed by evening sessions open to the general public. CSU also will stage a Science and Health Expo on its Thurgoona site on Saturday 11 August between 11.30am and 3pm. The Expo will feature a solar telescope, tours of the Oral Health and Dental Clinic and campus tours as well as interactive information sessions showcasing health and science courses offered by CSU, jumping castles, music and the Gums Café open for visitors.

More than 40 new veterinary students will leave university for the workforce after taking their professional oath at a ceremony at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Friday 3 August. The Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Bachelor of Veterinary Science students will gather in front of family, friends and staff from CSU’s School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences  to take the Veterinarians’ Oath to practice their profession ‘ethically and conscientiously’.  The keynote address will be delivered by Vice President of the Australian Veterinary Association Dr Peter Gibbs, who will share his experience of running a successful rural practice in Yass, NSW.  The students will be eligible to register as veterinarians on Friday 10 August and will be awarded their degrees during a formal graduation ceremony at CSU at the end of 2012.

Agriculture and animal science students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) will get a head start on job hunting at a student-led career fair tomorrow, Wednesday 1 August. More than 220 students from CSU’s School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences and School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences  will meet with over 30 prospective employers from agribusiness, government departments, research organisations and farming groups. “It’s a chance for potential employers to promote their organisations and provide information about what it takes to pursue a career within these industries,” said member of the organising committee and Bachelor of Animal Science student Mr Isaac Allen. Students from CSU in Wagga Wagga, Orange and Albury-Wodonga will attend the fair which will include a career development workshop and a panel discussion with recent graduates.

Staff and students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange will down books to pick up shovels and seedlings to plant new trees and shrubs around the campus on Friday 27 July. Coordinator of the event, Ms Betty-Ann Nannes, said, “The planned tree planting is an initiative of CSU Green, in conjunction with National Tree Day, and is a great opportunity to improve our natural environment and enhance biodiversity on the campus. We expect about 35 students will plant about 500 mostly native trees, many of which are ‘local’ to the area, around the new School of Dentistry and Health Sciences building and new residences known as the Spring Creek Village.” CSU aims to have 20 per cent of University land contributing to increased biodiversity by 2015 to protect native flora and fauna. Participants will meet at car park 5, near Bartlett House, for tree planting from 10am to 2pm on 27 July, followed by a barbeque.

The Vice-Chancellor and President of Charles Sturt University (CSU), Professor Andrew Vann, will officially open the new Cellar Door at CSU in Orange on Monday 30 July. Mr Justin Byrne, marketing manager at the CSU Winery, said, “The creation of the Cellar Door in Orange by the University is a strategic initiative that recognises the importance of the vineyard as a fruit source for the Charles Sturt University Winery and the importance of the Orange wine region as a small but important player in the Australian wine industry. This new use for the Machinery Centre enhances the building and gives it new life in a very dynamic local industry. The location, opposite the Chardonnay vineyard, is ideal for enhancing the understanding of the connection between the growing of grapes and the making and selling of wine. The 18 hectare vineyard at CSU in Orange is planted with a number of grape varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Regional Development Australia (Central West) will host the Agribusiness Today 2012 forum highlighting opportunities for grain producers at the Forbes Services Memorial Club on Thursday 2 August. Dr Karl Behrendt, director of the Australasian Agribusiness Research Centre at CSU’s School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, said the forum’s focus is ‘Getting the pulse on cereals and oilseeds’. “Agribusiness Today 2012 is a free day-long forum to update central west grain growers and industry leaders about crop trends in the northern hemisphere and potential demand from Asia for their crops,” Dr Behrendt said. “Participants will hear from a range of experts from the CSIRO, Rabobank, NSW Department of Primary Industries, and others, as well as two international speakers from Argentina, Dr Roberto Peiretti and Ms Cintia Castagnino. Peak Hill farmer Mr Grant Byrne, who is the Conservation Farmer of the Year 2011, will also speak about resilience and adaptive cropping systems.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) students will take part in National Tree Day when they continue the planting of understorey shrubs that commenced in 2011. Students from CSU in Albury-Wodonga will get down and dirty to sow over 1000 plants on the University campus at Thurgoona after 2.30pm on Friday 27 July. Activity coordinator and chair of the campus environment committee, Dr John Rafferty, said the celebration was also an opportunity to highlight the ‘green’ credentials and emphasis on environmental sustainability on the Albury-Wodonga Campus. “The campus is continually developing and enhancing the landscape and these habitats bring many benefits. We are seeing the site being used more and more for recreation, while the permanent habitat provides home for several species of bird and native animals. As well as enhancing the environment for local people and native animals, the site is developing as an important teaching and research resource for Charles Sturt University,” Dr Rafferty said.

Three teacher-chaperones accompanying a delegation of exchange students from Wujiang, Dubbo’s sister-city in China, will tour Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo at 3.30pm on Friday 20 July during their four-day visit to the city. Head of Campus at CSU in Dubbo, Dr Bev Moriarty, will host and escort the teachers from the Wujiang Experimental Primary School on their tour of the University campus. “I look forward to welcoming the Wujiang teachers to Charles Sturt University and showing them around our growing campus, particularly the new Dental Clinic,” Dr Moriarty said. The 15 primary school students and their teachers are being hosted by Dubbo South Primary School and 10 Dubbo families from Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 July. They will be officially welcomed to Dubbo by the Mayor, Councillor Mathew Dickerson, and during their stay they will also visit the Old Dubbo Goal, the Western Plains Zoo, the Dubbo Observatory, and will enjoy an Aussie-style barbeque as well as spend time with the host families.

Charles Sturt University’s Wagga Wagga Campus will host Australia’s first International Millinery Forum early next year. Co-ordinator Linda Tillman said the response so far has been overwhelming. “I already have over 100 registrations from every state in Australia, as well as New Zealand, America, London, Scotland, and today I received an email from Spain.” The five day event includes a series of seminars, hands-on workshops and a trade expo. “The people who are registering are so passionate about hat making. They can come and learn new things and share their different tricks of the trade.” Milliners who will showcase their techniques include Germany’s Constance Willems, Austria’s Christine Rohr-Bernard, and Eia Radosavljevic and Jan Wutkowski from the USA. “Australia’s millinery community has never seen an event like this before,” said Ms Tillman.