Early-career researchers will receive advice from more experienced academics and meet other researchers at a similar stage in their careers at the biennial Environmental and Resource Economics Early-Career Researcher Workshop (E-CReW 2009) at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Bathurst on the Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 November. The head of the E-CReW management committee, Professor Mark Morrison, from the CSU School of Business at Bathurst, said E-CReW 2009 also provides a forum for employers to meet young researchers who will shape the future of environmental research, and for research agencies to discuss current research needs. “The workshop will involve mentors with a strong reputation and experience in environmental and resource economics, and developing researchers looking at vital issues involving climate change, sustainable development, and natural resource management,” said Professor Mark Morrison. E-CReW 2009 is hosted by the CSU Institute for Land, Water and Society.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic and artist Mr Jamie Holcombe will explore his photographic exhibition Civic Melancholy  in a public seminar at CSU at Wagga Wagga from 3.10pm on Wednesday 4 November. The exhibition, which will be officially opened by CSU lecturer Mr David Gilbey at 6pm on Saturday 14 November in the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, focuses on large-scale urban landscapes in the Riverina. During the seminar, the artist will present an overview of the project’s evolution, drawing on his ongoing PhD research into the concept of the melancholy in photography, with particular reference to urban landscape in regional community environments.  “This body of work is a personal response to my surroundings,” said Mr Holcombe. “After a long period of passive observation, this exhibition represents an interchange with the region that I now call home.” Mr Holcombe lectures in photography and digital imaging in the School of Visual and Performing Arts at CSU at Wagga Wagga.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) academics and medical imaging students will be present to discuss a career in medical imaging when Regional Imaging Riverina holds an open day in Wagga Wagga on Sunday 8 November - the day in 1895 when Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered x-rays - as part of National Radiographers and Radiation Therapists Week (Monday 2 to Sunday 8 November). Radiographers are the health professionals who operate x-ray, mammogram or ultrasound diagnostic technologies. CSU medical imaging students will also mark the Week with their annual end of year dinner at 6.30pm on Wednesday 4 November at the University’s Convention Centre. “There are around 40 radiographers working in Wagga Wagga alone,” said Mrs Kelly Spuur, lecturer with the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences at CSU at Wagga Wagga. Mrs Spuur is course coordinator of the Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (Medical Imaging) and a former radiographer with Regional Imaging Riverina (RIR). “Given the national and international shortage of radiographers, our region is fortunate to have this many professionals working in local private practice and public hospitals.”  The open day is an opportunity for the local community to tour the facility at Calvary Hospital which includes a 16 channel short bore MRI scanner, 16 slice CT and digital mammography unit. Radiographers will also be on hand to discuss their work.

A Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management student at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Orange, Mr Jeremy Cummins, was awarded an Australian National Field Days (ANFD) Rugby Player Scholarship at the recent Field Days. Mr Cummins played in the 2009 ANFD Cup with the Orange Aggies and has been rewarded for his off-field efforts in agriculture. Central West Rugby Union chief executive, Mr Peter Veenstra, said Mr Cummins was an outstanding applicant and a worthy recipient of the inaugural scholarship. Mr Cummins came to CSU at Orange from Port Macquarie, and as well as playing in the ANFD Cup has been involved in cattle judging, has taken on a management role at the CSU Rugby Club, and also manages to fit in a 125 per cent student load so he can complete his degree in less than three years.

The new Clinical Director of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Allied Health Clinic has landed in Albury-Wodonga with a wealth of professional and academic experience from Canada. Prior to taking up this position with CSU School of Community Health, podiatrist Mr Steven Cassel taught for 10 years in the podiatry program at the Michener Institute in Toronto, Canada, where he developed and managed the on-campus student clinic, which is similar to the CSU clinic in Albury. Mr Cassel said the Michener clinic had chiropractic and naturopathic medicine working together in it, which made students more open to and inclusive of how other allied health professions worked. “I am excited to be working in a similar environment, working with physiotherapists and occupational therapists in the CSU clinic.” Mr Cassel specialises in biomechanics and is looking forward to passing on his expertise to students in treating sports injuries and musculoskeletal problems as well as in wound care and care of the high risk foot, particularly with complications due to diabetes and ulcers. Mr Cassel is also completing a Masters degree through CSU.

A representative from the accounting profession will address Charles Sturt University (CSU) accountancy students tomorrow, Tuesday 3 November, on the outstanding job opportunities in the profession to be found locally and internationally for new graduates. Business Development Executive from NSW division of CPA Australia, Mr Josh Price, will address students on CSU’s Albury-Wodonga Campus on the strong local opportunities for employment plus the importance of international recognition for their accounting qualifications in gaining employment overseas. The presentation, starting at 9am on the University’s Thurgoona site, is hosted by the University’s Faculty of Business.

Sports science lecturers at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Human Movement Studies will return to Indonesia on Wednesday 28 October to continue providing intensive assistance to that nation’s elite athletes in the lead-up to the South-East Asian Games in Vientiane, Laos, in December 2009. Lecturers Dr Stephen Bird, Dr Rob Duffield and Mr Benjamin Barrington-Higgs have three tasks to manage on this visit as part of the Sports Science Division for the Indonesian Elite Athlete High Performance Program (Program Atlet Andalan – PAL). “Firstly, we will be very involved in the final preparation training for Indonesian elite athletes, the performance optimisation phase, before the start of the South-East Asian Games,” Dr Bird said. “We will also deliver an intensive four-day elite sports coaching short course for Indonesian coaches and academics. Our third task is to conduct the first applied sports research with elite boxers in Indonesia.”

Teachers from nearly 200 schools across the region have been invited to attend a special introductory training day at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Bathurst on Friday 27 November in preparation for the NSW central west region RoboCup Junior Challenge to be staged at the University at Bathurst in June 2010. Mr Allen Benter, the coordinator of the 2010 RoboCup Junior Challenge and an associate lecturer at the CSU School of Computing and Mathematics at Bathurst, said this is the first of the preparatory workshops CSU will hold for supervising teachers whose students want to participate in the Challenge. “We at Charles Sturt University are very excited to be able to promote computer sciences to young people in this way,” Mr Benter said. “RoboCup is an international competition/conference promoting artificial intelligence and robotic research around the world. RoboCup Junior is aimed at primary to secondary school children and focuses not only on engineering and computing skills, but also emphasises sportsmanship, teamwork, cooperation and organisational skills. This workshop for teachers will assist them to guide their students through the process of constructing and programming a robot to compete in one of three events dance, rescue or soccer. The winners of the regional competition will then advance to the state competition.”

The challenges facing Israel’s wine grape industry are shared by growers and researchers in Australia. Charles Sturt University (CSU) is currently hosting a visit from one of the world’s leading viticulture scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Professor of Viticulture and Oenology, Professor Ben Ami Bravdo is known internationally for his expertise on the impact of water and salinity stress on plant productivity. He is speaking to researchers at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) at Wagga Wagga on crop load, mineral nutrition, water availability and salinity impact upon the quality and quantity of grape harvests. Later in the week Professor Bravdo will travel to Griffith to present a seminar and meet with district growers. The NWGIC’s Dr Jonathon Holland said, “This is a unique opportunity as Israel experiences many similar issues to those that challenge Australian growers, so there is much that can be learned.”