A report was released in the UK last week which claimed that watching television harmed children much more than previously thought. The research was drawn from analysing 35 scientific studies and identified 15 negative affects including obesity, which the report claimed TV caused through a lack of exercise. That sets off alarm bells for Charles Sturt University’s Dr Michael Gard. “All 35 studies will be variable in terms of methodology, the strength of their findings, and what they measured. There is a lot of research on obesity, health and television, and none have shown any connection between TV watching, physical activity and obesity. Technology does not make you fat and stupid and sick. Yes, kids need a variety of experiences. But there is a greater evil here and that is people like this who start telling us how to live our lives rather than kids watching TV every day.”

Dr Rob Duffield of Charles Sturt University's (CSU) School of Human Movement is helping Bathurst residents prepare for the Bathurst half marathon and 10 kilometre fun run to be held in April. He is presenting a 10-week fitness and preparation plan that will appear in the local newspaper in the ten-week run-up to the event. “The idea is to gradually and progressively build people up over the first seven or eight weeks so that they can complete the distance, and then work on being able to actually race at a good speed. It’s such a high-profile community event that you find people do want to participate. Anyone can do the training program, but people need to be realistic about their goals - if they have been sedentary for a long, long time, then the half marathon is probably out of the picture, but the fun run is achievable for everyone.”

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) reputation for training professionals for inland Australia is attracting some of the nation’s most prestigious employers. In coming weeks, graduate recruitment sessions at the University’s Waaga Wagga Campus will see organisations, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA), Commonwealth Bank, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Westpac Banking Corporation, ComSuper, Smart Teachers and Select Education, outline employment opportunities for 2008 to final year CSU students. CSU Manager for Student Access and Work, Paul Worsfold says interest among graduate employers is high and to facilitate this, the University’s Careers Service has introduced an employer “portal” on its CareerHub website.  Graduate employers can now post jobs and employment information onto a database accessible to all CSU students.   

Staff and students of Charles Sturt University (CSU) helped raise over $65 000 in the fight against cancer at Orange’s Relay for Life held last weekend. CSU’s 19 member team - the Wonder Walkers -  walked continuously for 18 hours to support cancer research through the Cancer Council event. Held at Endeavour Oval in Orange, the Wonder Walkers were encouraged by the thoughts of friends and family affected by cancer. “Our team walked, and ran, their hearts out for cancer research all through Saturday night and the atmosphere at the oval was tremendous,” said CSU team coordinator, Geoff Watson. The event raised a significant amount of money and gave hope to sufferers of the disease. “This is the message from Relay for Life, and it was all around me in the faces of the people who were walking beside me shoulder to shoulder,” Mr Watson said. “It is about life and about the hope that one day we will live in a world that has an answer to cancer.”

The skills of a trainee hospitality worker at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga have been recognised during annual awards run by the not-for-profit training organisation, GTES. Mr Damian Slater, 20, from Wagga Wagga is one of three finalists in the trainee category of the GTES Apprentice & Trainee Awards, which recognise the excellence and dedication of GTES apprentices and trainees employed in various industries. The winners in five award categories for southern NSW and Victoria will be announced at a ceremony in Wagga Wagga on Friday 26 August. Undertaking a Certificate III in hospitality operations at TAFE NSW Riverina Institute, Mr Slater caters for students, staff and guests at CSU. . Mr Toby Perry, team leader of Food and Beverage Services at CSU in Albury-Wodonga and Wagga Wagga, said, “Damian is an excellent team member, who learns quickly, works hard under pressure, and has a genuine pleasure in serving people. His attention to detail and his respect and rapport with our customers help him to stand head and shoulders above where one would normally expect a trainee to be, so early in their career.”

Orange primary and high school students will get an insight into science and science careers during Science in the Bush Orange, at Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Friday 2 September. While attending workshops, shows, talks, and the popular Science in the Bush Expo students will use environmental sensors and basic programming to find out how robots work and will watch a laser light show to demonstrate how lasers work. Program coordinator, Ms Catherine Beehag, says, “Science in the Bush is a unique opportunity for school students to engage with scientific ideas that capture their imagination, whether it’s the Charles Sturt University’s Delving Under Your Skin workshop, or the Australian Museum’s Mini-Beasts Magnified”. “The whole program picks up on the recognition that in Australia we must do more to interest kids in science,” says Dean of Science at CSU, Professor Nick Klomp. “We want them to feel the excitement of science and discovery so we can produce our fair share of scientists in inland Australia.” The program has 90 different timetabled activities over two days, and involves local and national scientific organisations.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic Dr Jane Mills will challenge current education methods with her public talk on Friday 9 September. Titled “Hollywood for Homework: you must be joking! The place of popular cinema in the classroom”, Dr Mills’ lecture will argue that the opportunity to learn how to be ‘screen literate’ is as much a democratic right as is learning how to read and write. For some years now the associate professor at CSU’s School of Communication and Creative Industries has been encouraging schools to include screen literacy in the classroom and this means encouraging students to look at Hollywood films for homework.  In this lecture she explores if there’s a conflict between classroom practice and official definitions of literacy.  “The current literacy testing system promotes the denigration of the image and the idealisation of the word, which creates problems for teachers and students when the image, especially the moving image, is used for teaching,” Dr Mills said.

In the rapidly changing field of biotechnology, education is crucial to keep up with cutting edge technology, says Australian scientist and Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic Dr Thiru Vanniasinkam. Dr Vanniasinkam, who works in the School of Biomedical Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga, Australia, will visit a number of colleges in Ontario to outline the Bachelor of Science (Forensic Biotechnology). This internationally recognised program is offered through CSU in Ontario and allows graduates with an Ontario Biotechnology, Health Biotechnology Diploma or equivalent to upgrade their qualifications to degree level. “The program can improve job prospects for graduates and open avenues for further education,” Dr Vanniasinkam said. “Students can also undertake short-term study tours in laboratories in countries including Korea, Switzerland and USA.” The program has been developed with industry bodies to address the rapid technological changes and growth in the biotechnology and forensic industries worldwide.

An educational program designed to help local communities deal with confronting issues for young people will be discussed at a Charles Sturt University (CSU) public lecture in Tumut on Wednesday 14 September. The ‘Putting Youth in the Picture’ program was developed in regional Queensland and uses a series of authentic, confronting movie scenes to show how young people can make poor decisions that will alter their lives. CSU has been granted the first NSW licence to roll out the program to all local government areas across its regions. Manager of Residential Operations at CSU in Albury-Wodonga and Wagga Wagga, Mr Peter Bell, said issues presented include sexual assault, binge and underage drinking, and alcohol-fuelled violence. “This program is about empowering local communities through their local councils, schools or sporting groups to use the program’s resources to hopefully prevent their young people from getting into difficulties,” Mr Bell said.