As part of its expanded regional training program, the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) will be at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Friday 15 June to offer an intensive one-day screenwriting course. Playwright and AFTRS screenwriting lecturer Dr Carl Caulfield will present the course using clips and scripts from well-known classic and modern era films – from Citizen Kane, to Slumdog Millionaire and The King’s Speech - to guide participants through the processes, techniques and tools used to tell a compelling story. AFTRS OPEN Regional Manager Mr Martin Corben said, “Screenwriting Part One is just the beginning for those wanting to develop their film skills as this course explores not only the ‘story’ but the importance of its structure, how to build scenes, suspense and captivating characters. The AFTRS course is supported by Eastern Riverina Arts and the School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU. The course runs from 9am to 5pm in the theatrette, building 21, School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU in Wagga Wagga.

Forget the Eiffel Tower and Buckingham Palace, a group of students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) will spend their European tripvisiting world class biomedical research institutions. The 22 students from CSU’s School of Biomedical Sciences will spend more than three-weeks during June visiting leading research and teaching facilities in the United Kingdom, France, Germany and  Switzerland. CSU Pharmacy program leader Mr George K John said the trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity for students to gain a broader understanding of global health issues and highlight the careers available in health sciences. “Students will see cutting edge research and teaching in areas of biomedical sciences like biotechnology, microbiology, nutrition and pharmaceutical sciences,” he said. Highlights of the itinerary include workshops and interactive sessions at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, The World Health Organisation in Geneva, the Nestle Research Institute in Lausanne and Max Planck Institute in Munich.

A first year accounting student at Charles Sturt University (CSU) has made it to the finals of a national marketing competition to promote the computer technology known as Kinect. Based on an assignment for the subject Marketing and Society, Mr Will Gummer from Junee entered the Microsoft Protégé Challenge, which is open to undergraduate students in Australia. The challenge involves the marketing of the Kinect application for use outside the gaming industry such as in health or education. Mr Gummer recently made it through to the competition’s semi finals with a 10 minute presentation via video-conference. “I did my proposal on the Virtual Distance Learning Classroom, which is a Kinect application designed for distance education students. It puts both the lecturer and students into a virtual classroom where they can see their 3D images. These avatars can raise their hand if they have a question and can also use computer-simulated visual cues,” said Mr Gummer. Marketing lecturer Ms Elizabeth Dunlop said, “This is an outstanding achievement for a first year student to make it though to the finals of the national competition. Will should be congratulated for taking on this ‘real-life’ marketing challenge during one of his early subjects for his degree.”

An expert panel that includes a Charles Sturt University (CSU) specialist in agricultural extension and training will discuss the future of family farming at a public forum to be held in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 20 June. The forum, Has the Family Farm a Future?, will provide an opportunity for family farmers to come together and share their views about the future. The forum will be hosted by ABC Riverina’s Ms Anne Delaney. CSU history and politics lecturer and the event’s co-organiser, Dr Troy Whitford, said that with 90 per cent of Australian farms owned and operated by families, it was of national importance to keep the next generation of farmers on the land. “At present, many of our young people are leaving the farm in pursuit of more lucrative employment, particularly in mining. We hope this forum will highlight the need to assist family farms maintain their business,” Dr Whitford said. The forum will start at 7pm on Wednesday 20 June at the Wagga Wagga RSL Club, Dobbs Street, Wagga Wagga.

Enthusiastic robotics students from eight primary and secondary schools across the region will marshal their talents at the 2012 Central West RoboCup Junior Challenge when the annual robotics competition returns to Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Thursday 14 June. Mr Allen Benter, the coordinator of the competition who is also a PhD student and researcher at the CSU Centre for Research in Complex Systems (CRiCS) in Bathurst, said, “Last year’s event was staged at Charles Sturt University in Orange, and this year we expect about 60 students to build and operate mini robots on the day. University staff have been judges at previous RoboCup events and have provided technical advice to students and their teachers. It’s great to see that students and schools in the region have embraced the concept and the opportunity that the RoboCup offers, as robotics is an important and rapidly developing field.”

Second year acting students from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Wagga Wagga Campus will take on Anton Chekhov’s complex, classic play, The Cherry Orchard, in a studio presentation called Vagabonds at the Shrine: fragments of The Cherry Orchard. Dr Ashley Wain, lecturer in the CSU School of Visual and Performing Arts, said the students find Chekhov a challenge “but also a joy. If you can play Chekhov then you can really act - it is fantastic teaching material. Chekhov’s vision of the world is so subtle and precise. Actors have to develop depth and fullness of imagination, compassion and empathy. Working on Chekov helps to refine their artistic sensibilities and to enrich them as people. Chekhov had an incredible influence on the whole birth of modern theatre.” Vagabonds at the Shrine: fragments of The Cherry Orchard in will be presented at Drama Studio One, Performing Arts, Wagga Wagga Campus from Tuesday 14 until Sunday 19 November. Tickets at the door, or call 02 6933 2473.

About 90 Year 11 and 12 students from 44 high schools across the region, and from as far away as Nyngan, Albury and Campbelltown, will attend a MyDay at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Tuesday 19 June to learn about future study options in psychology, policing, and justice studies. CSU prospective student adviser Ms Fran Dwyer said, “We’re delighted to have such a positive response from so many schools from around the state. It demonstrates strong interest in these important disciplines, and highlights the high regard for courses at Charles Sturt University”. Students will be able to discuss their interests with lecturers and current students, and will be provided with information about the Bachelor of Psychology, Bachelor of Justice Studies (Policing), Bachelor of Social Science (Criminal Justice), and the Associate Degree in Policing Practice.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will host one of two forums in Albury on Wednesday 20 June looking at whether Australia is making a difference with its international aid programs. Organised by the international World Vision charity, four speakers closely involved with overseas aid projects will address the successes and challenges of working with the world’s poor as they face hunger, malnutrition and disease, and how the Australian government’s $5.2 billion aid budget for 2012/13 could best be spent. CSU will host a daytime event between 1-2pm for school students and the public in the CD Blake Lecture Theatre on the University’s Albury-Wodonga Campus at Thurgoona, while a second evening event for the Border community will be staged in the Albury Entertainment Centre, Swift Street, Albury.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) continues to develop its Orange Campus, now opening a new cellar door to showcase the range of CSU wines. CSU Winery  marketing manager Mr Justin Byrne says the cellar door will give the community the opportunity to sample and buy the University wines. "We have the full range of wines in stock including our sparkling and fortified wines," he said. CSU’s award-winning winemaker Mr Andrew Drumm has been keen to open a cellar door in Orange since the University acquired the vineyard. "Orange is growing some great fruit and producing some excellent wines and we are a small but important player in the region so it's good to be able to show off our work," Mr Drumm said. The CSU Winery Cellar Door is open Friday to Sunday from 11am to 4pm. For more information contact Mr Byrne on 02 6365 7643.