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.

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.

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.

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.

Colourful elements of Indigenous Australian culture will be presented to school students from the Border region when they visit an education day hosted by Charels Sturt Universty’s (CSU) early childhood education students on Thursday 9 November. The University students, directed by CSU academic and Wirradjuri elder Yalmambirra, will lead small groups that explore various aspects of Indigenous culture including boomerang throwing, bush tucker, face painting, dance and storytelling, and be assessed as part of their teaching degree course. “The day long event is an important educational experience for CSU students and around 400 primary primary school pupils that will visit during the day,” said Yalmambira. The event will be held at the Mirrambeena community centre at Lavington, between 9am and 2.30pm.

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.

Frugal and hard working, the history of German farmers in the southern Riverina will be explored in a free public lecture by Charles Sturt University (CSU) cultural heritage expert Associate Professor Dirk Spennemann in Deniliquin on Wednesday 15 August. German settlement began in the mid 1860s and in this illustrated talk, Professor Spennemann will examine their contribution to farming and the social fabric of the region. “Driven by the proverbial Protestant work ethic, German farmers were generally well respected at the time,” he said. “A typical household contained heirlooms such as family bibles, items sourced from Germany including wedding porcelain along with books and utensils unavailable in Australia.” A member of  CSU’s Institute for Land, Water and Society (ILWS),  Professor Spennemann’s research interests include German colonial heritage in Oceania and the conceptual understanding of contemporary and emergent heritage such as modern architecture, space exploration and robotics. He is also a photographic artist who interprets heritage issues through visual media.

“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.

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.