People with Parkinson’s disease or rheumatoid arthritis are invited to take part in research at Charles Sturt University (CSU) to investigate the role of red blood cells in neutralising free radicals, chemicals derived from breaking down oxygen in the blood that can damage the body. CSU PhD student with the School of Community Health, Ms Di Hughes, is looking at the shape and biochemistry of red blood cells which are critical for delivering oxygen to the body. “Cell shape is affected by oxidative stress, which is the balance between free radicals and antioxidants which neutralise free radicals. We want to study the levels of antioxidants, free radicals and resulting inflammation in people with these diseases,” Ms Hughes said. “Ultimately, this research could help understand the role of oxidative stress and antioxidants in Parkinson's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.” After an initial discussion with Ms Hughes, which includes a medical questionnaire, accepted participants can attend the Health Skills ward at Thurgoona to give blood and urine samples which will be analysed for free radicals, antioxidants and the shape of red blood cells.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Port Macquarie will welcome approximately 200 new students to its 2013 orientation events on Thursday 28 February and Friday 1 March before the start of the new academic year next Monday. Dr Muyesser Durur, the Campus Director at CSU in Port Macquarie, said, “It’s hard to believe that a year has passed since Charles Sturt University in Port Macquarie was established, and I am delighted to welcome new and returning students. The University now offers eight courses by Schools in three Faculties (Arts, Business, Science) as we progress our aim to enrol 5 000 students here by 2030. Charles Sturt University staff from other locations will attend the orientation in Port Macquarie to provide a wider University perspective, expertise and experience to enrich the orientation experience.” The schedule of orientation events includes a formal welcome at 2pm Thursday 28, followed by an afternoon tea for parents and supporters hosted by the Head of Campus, Professor Ross Chambers. Tours of the campus, and library and student support information sessions will run between 3pm to 5.15pm. This will be followed by an academic advisory session about Schools and courses from 5.30pm to 6.30pm. Local businesses and community groups will also showcase their wares to the students at a market stall alongside the information sessions. General assistance for students continues to be available from 9am to 5pm on Friday 1 March. A student function has been scheduled for Thursday 7 March to kick-start the student social calendar for 2013 – an important component of the CSU experience.

Today's athletes are a marvel of evolution - their stamina a product of modern training and deep understanding of physiology - or is it? Over 10 years of research, Charles Sturt University's (CSU) Associate Professor Frank Marino has found stamina is closely related to the function of the brain and central nervous system. His public lecture on Wednesday 23 August will discuss modern theories on human endurance and limits of human physiology. His presentation will interest sportspeople, the health professions and anyone with an interest in sport and human performance. Professor Marino is Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology and Head of CSU's School of Human Movement. The lecture will start at 6pm in the Nowik Lecture Theatre, Guinea St, Albury.

Last week the UK government announced that all 306 British World War One soldiers executed for desertion or cowardice are to be pardoned, saying the decision was taken on moral grounds. Charles Sturt University (CSU) historian Dr Rob McLachlan, an adjunct senior lecturer in the School of Social Sciences and Liberal Studies, says it was the court martial and execution of Australian soldiers “Breaker” Morant and Peter Handcock from Bathurst during the earlier Boer War that prevented Australian soldiers suffering the same fate as their British counterparts. He says the public outcry over the deaths of Morant and Handcock ensured Australian soldiers would never again face a British court martial. “Also, the Australian Infantry Force (AIF) was a fully volunteer force, and was not the sort of military that would take easily to this extreme form of discipline. However, I see nothing in the human condition to say it won't happen again.”

Daryl McMahon’s Rugby club history includes Charles Sturt University, the Mudgee Wombats and now the Vientiane Buffalos. The Buffalos are one of four teams in the Lao Rugby Federation. Daryl’s job, funded through Volunteer International Development of Australia, is to develop the sport throughout Laos. The CSU graduate says Rugby is taking off all over Asia, with the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) claiming 25 member countries. The national Lao team recently made their international debut competing against Brunei, Indonesia, and Cambodia in the ARFU Division 6 Tournament. He describes the local players as “fearless. In the Lao culture there is minimal physical contact, so we had to overcome that in the Rugby training. And you have to be tough off the rugby field as well, because the Lao culture involves a lot of eating and drinking the local Lao whiskey."

Students studying agricultural and animal sciences and horticulture at Western Illinois University (WIU) in the United States will visit Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Tuesday 12 March. The 12 students will inspect CSU facilities including the National Life Sciences Hub, Equine Centre, and Veterinary Clinical Centre from 10am to 12 noon when the Head of the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Professor John Mawson, will host a barbecue for the international guests, staff, and third and fourth year agricultural science students from CSU. On Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 March, the students will visit a rice farm at Leeton, and a sheep stud, orchard and winery at Griffith. Accompanying the students will be CSU’s Emeritus Professor Ted Wolfe and WIU’s Associate Professor Tom Bruening (International Agriculture). “Students from Western Illinois University visited Charles Sturt University in 2009 and 2011. Over previous years, three of our students have studied at Western Illinois University for a semester and we have hosted two students as part of international exchanges. The Riverina is a wonderful setting for agriculture. I encourage the farmers and local agribusinesses we visit to 'tell it like it is' in terms of family farm stories, industry issues such as finding good quality labour, the difficulty of coping with climatic and marketing risks, the ongoing water debate, and the problems caused by the high Australian dollar,” Professor Wolfe said.

Two researchers from Charles Sturt University (CSU) want to learn more about what the residents of Thurgoona and Wirlinga on the north-east edge of Albury know and understand about conservation and the plants and animals that live in the area. Dr Rosemary Black and Dr Shelby Laird from CSU’s Institute for Land, Water and Society will distribute a postal survey to households in these suburbs, starting Wednesday 6 March. “The Thurgoona and Wirlinga areas are expected to grow to over 50 000 people in the next 30 years, and will become a more urban environment,” Dr Black said. “This will impact on the area’s native animals and the flora they depend on, particularly threatened species. We are investigating this community’s knowledge and values about nature and conservation before changes occur and before any projects or education initiatives are conducted. This is a very rare opportunity for us as researchers to gather this information.” The postal survey will be followed by interviews with some residents to gather more data that could be used to develop better conservation projects in the future. “Finding out what people know about nature and conservation in Thurgoona and Wirlinga will help conservation organisations like the Albury Conservation Company, as well as state and local governments, to better plan their future conservation activities,” Dr Laird said.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic Dr Rebecca Doyle will give a first-hand account of her chosen career in science during the national ABARES Outlook 2013 conference at the National Convention Centre in Canberra on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 March. Dr Doyle, a lecturer in animal physiology and welfare in the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga, will address the forum, Science and education for agriculture, fisheries and forestry in the Barton Room at  4pm Tuesday 5 March.. During her talk, titled 'Science is golden: my experiences in agriculture', the CSU academic will detail her thoughts on why there aren't enough people entering agricultural professions, how we can improve this, and give some examples of scientific work she has been involved in. Dr Doyle said, "I think that one of the reasons students aren't so attracted to agricultural-based degrees is because they aren't aware of the career opportunities on offer. Unlike other degrees, students enrolling in agricultural science degrees don't know what they can 'be' at the end of it, but at the same time, these degrees are more specialised than an arts or general science degree. Hopefully, by giving students examples of what career paths they can take, we will encourage more students to study agriculture." Read more about Dr Doyle on CSU News here. You can read the full Outlook 2013 conference program here.

A celebration of the significant role education plays in the success of Wagga Wagga’s economic, cultural and social life will be highlighted in a main street parade and expo in the city on Thursday 21 March. Following the colourful Town and Gown Parade from 4.30pm in the city’s main street, a reception and expo will be held from 5pm in the Victory Memorial Gardens to promote the many educational, training and learning opportunities available in Wagga Wagga. The wide range of educational providers will be involved including local primary and high schools, the local Australian Defence Force bases, TAFE NSW Riverina Institute, Charles Sturt University (CSU), University of NSW Rural Clinic School and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music. “A large part of what makes Wagga Wagga such a great place to live and work in is the breadth and depth of educational opportunities available right here in the city,” Head of Campus at CSU in Wagga Wagga, Mr Adrian Lindner, said. “This parade and expo is a reminder of what this city has to offer in terms of education, training and learning. It is an annual celebration of education in Wagga Wagga and I encourage everyone to come and see the many offerings from school education, learning, recruit and technical training, and tertiary education. From kindergarten to PhD!”