The importance of recent drought research by rural social researchers from Charles Sturt University (CSU) was on the agenda during a visit to the University’s Wagga Wagga Campus by members of the national philanthropic organisation, the Rural Education Program of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR). Led by FRRR patron and head of the Myer Foundation, Ballieau Myer, the group met with Professor Margaret Alston and Dr Jenny Kent from the University’s Centre for Rural Social Research on Saturday 1 July. As part of the vision of Federation for Rural and Regional Renewal to support communities to respond positively to change and build social and economic wealth in rural and regional Australia, the Foundation funded research into the impact of drought on young people’s access to education. The report, entitled The impact of drought on secondary education access in Australia's rural and remote areas, was also funded by the Federal Government. “The visit to the University gave us a chance to thank the Foundation for financially supporting significant research into the impact of one of the country’s worst droughts,” said Professor Alston. Further information on the drought report, including key recommendations can be found here.

When Central Tablelands Landcare held community forums to try and boost local support, they turned to Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer Zelma Bone to monitor and evaluate their efforts. Using a grant from the Natural Resources Advisory Council of NSW and her US experience with what is called deliberative process, Ms Bone and Dr Judith Crockett from CSU have assisted in three community forums so far, not only reinvigorating interest in Landcare, but also re-engaging the locals in community issues. In Blayney, the Landcare group established a relationship with one of the local schools, overcoming transport obstacles which had held them back in the past. And in Millthorpe, the primary school community garden will expand with help from the local gardening club, prompting interest in locally grown produce. Ms Bone explains that deliberative forums are unlike public meetings “where you get a lot of discussion and debate but sometimes not very useful outcomes. Deliberation is a process where we identify a couple of choices, look at the costs and consequences of each one, and ultimately the real benefit is moving people from the individual to a more community perspective”. Central to the success is follow-up, says Ms Bone. “They agree on a project, and we can help with external resources or steer them in the right direction, but then it is up to them. Our project goes back to these local communities in six months time to track the progress.”

The co-discoverer of a rare genetic disorder, Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS), will attend an international workshop on the disorder in Wagga Wagga on Tuesday 4 July. Dr Ann Smith, a genetic counsellor and head of the SMS Research Unit at the National Human Genome Research Institute in the US, will be a special guest at the workshop. Charles Sturt University (CSU) senior molecular biology lecturer and workshop organiser, Dr Chris Blanchard is the founder and mentor for the CSU Smith-Magenis Syndrome research group and is the father of a five year old daughter with SMS. The syndrome which is caused by a missing piece of genetic material from chromosome 17 (deletion 17p11.2), was first described by Dr Ann Smith and Dr Ellen Magenis in the early 1980s. Smith-Magenis Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder characterised by a recognisable pattern of physical, behavioural and developmental features including facial appearance; infant feeding problems; developmental delay; chronic ear infections; hearing impairment and speech delay. Although the condition is incurable and often underdiagnosed, it is estimated there are more than 1 000 people with SMS in Australia. “The workshop will provide local allied health professionals with an increased understanding of what is thought to be one of the most difficult genetic syndromes to treat and manage,” Dr Blanchard said. “The visit by three world-renowned US scientists highlights the increasing importance of research being undertaken at CSU.” Further information on SMS is available here.

The pharmacy program at Charles Sturt University (CSU) has been learning throughout June from the experiences of a visiting Professor from Denver in the USA. Professor Christopher Turner is Director of Experiential Programs at the School of Pharmacy, University of Colorado. Taking the opportunity of a change in the registration requirements for pharmacists in the USA, the University revised its pharmacy program so that students would gain experiences that would better position them to accept their professional responsibilities at graduation. This was based on progressively pushing students beyond their comfort zones through a range of experiential learning throughout their training. “This has had the effect of bringing students to greater competence and confidence at graduation,” said CSU Professor of Rural Pharmacy Patrick Ball, who has been accompanying the visiting US Professor. “Being competent in specific tasks before taking up a student placement has allowed the students to contribute actively to their workplace,” he added. More than 120 students started in CSU’s pharmacy program in 2006 including 45 in Orange and 79 in Wagga Wagga. This brings the total number of students in the first non-metropolitan pharmacy program in Australia in 2006 to about 340.    

When Kelso High School burned to the ground in August last year, it was a sad day for school education in the Bathurst region. But now a new secondary college concept is rising from the ashes, sparked by a unique collaboration between Kelso and Bathurst High Schools, the local community, TAFE and Charles Sturt University (CSU). Mr Mike Tom, a project manager with the Department of Education and Training (DET) says the new school will share curriculum in years 11 and 12 with Bathurst High School and he is hoping the project will encourage even greater cooperation with CSU. A “critical friend” in the process according to Mr Tom, is Dr Alan Bain, an expert in school renewal from CSU’s School of Teacher Education. Dr Bain worked on a number of public, private and charter school reform and renewal projects in the US and internationally before coming to Bathurst a few years ago. Dr Bain says while secondary college collaborations do exist in other parts of the state and country, the circumstances in Bathurst are unique with a TAFE and University in the same town. “It’s an opportunity for a different kind of collaboration, being driven by a series of unfortunate and traumatic events but nonetheless with the promise of  producing something powerful. It has immense potential for CSU, TAFE and for other schools,” Dr Bain says.

David Hunter was determined to complete his PhD thesis before he died of bone marrow cancer in December 2003. After 10 years of juggling study, caring for three young children and cancer treatment, David completed the draft of his thesis on the hermeneutics of French philosopher Paul Ricoeur applied to the Gospel of John, just two weeks before his death at the age of 41. David’s widow, Rev. Jeanette Mathews accepted David’s posthumous Doctorate of Philosophy on his behalf at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Theology graduation earlier this month (June 2). As well as working on his PhD, David was a sessional lecturer in New Testament studies at CSU’s School of Theology which is based at St Mark’s National Theological Centre in Canberra. David Hunter did a degree in Agricultural Science at Melbourne University before switching to theology. After he and Jeanette were married they both completed Bachelor of Divinity degrees at the international Baptist Theological Seminary near Zurich, Switzerland.  They moved to Canberra when Jeanette was appointed Associate Minister at the Canberra Baptist Church in 1997. David combined his PhD work with being a househusband and primary carer of the couple’s three young sons as well as his active involvement in social justice issues and Aboriginal reconciliation. After being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2000, David kept up his study which Jeanette says was “life-giving and sustaining” for him during his illness. “As I stood in David’s place to accept his PhD I felt his life’s work had been completed but it wouldn’t have been finished without the help and support of our friends and colleagues at St Mark’s,” said Jeanette who is also a sessional lecturer at St Mark’s National Theological Centre.

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Professional Development Unit (PDU) has been contracted by the NSW Aboriginal Land Council to develop a training and development strategy for Aboriginal Land Councils. The PDU will evaluate the current training packages, make recommendations for the development of new ones to fill any gaps and provide recommendations regarding delivery schedules and methods. Pat Bradbery, manager of the PDU at Bathurst CSU, says this is an important step for the PDU in its efforts to develop targeted business-related courses for Indigenous people. “The PDU will ensure the training is aligned with the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (ALRA) with the object of making the local Aboriginal Land Councils more effective and efficient in carrying out their work which primarily is to acquire and manage land on behalf of Aboriginal people.” He says the strategy can’t be the same for all as Land Councils can vary considerably. “It certainly is an interesting project because of the ALRA requirements. It is very different to developing a training strategy for a corporate customer. Because of the community involvement in Local Aboriginal Land Councils, we need to be conscious of what the executive wants as well as what the rank and file members desire,” Mr Bradbery added.

It has been an exciting six months for Dr Sharynne McLeod, senior lecturer in language acquisition at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Teacher Education. As a world-renowned speech pathologist, she is just back from Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University College after successfully applying for a prestigious British Academy Visiting Fellowship worth over £8000. Dr McLeod was there for a project entitled Mapping tongue/palate contact for speech sound production. “I needed to go to Edinburgh to finish analysing my work. They have been developing new technology combining ultrasound and electropalatography so you can actually map the tongue’s movement during speech. No one has combined these techniques before,” Dr McLeod said. Whilst in Europe, Dr McLeod presented some of her mapping research to the British Association of Academic Phoneticians in Scotland as well as presenting to speech pathologists, students and academics at universities in London, Sheffield and Edinburgh. There was more good news waiting for Dr McLeod on her return home when she discovered she had been awarded a Fellowship of Speech Pathology Australia, one of only two Fellowships awarded throughout Australia.

An increasingly significant disease in grapevines in eastern Australia is the subject of new research at Charles Sturt University (CSU). PhD student Micheal Qiu is examining the grapevine trunk disease known as Bot canker in the Hunter Valley and Mudgee wine grape growing regions. The disease is thought to be responsible for productivity losses of overseas grapevines of up to one-third. The postgraduate research is being conducted through the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) at CSU in Wagga Wagga. It aims to provide a better understanding of the disease and therefore better management of the problem. The project will examine the distribution, identity, pathogenicity and genetic variation of the causal agents of Bot canker. Several fungicides will also be tested in the laboratory for their ability to control the disease. The research is being funded by the Australian Research Council, Bayer Crop Science Pty Ltd, Hunter Valley Vineyard Association and the Mudgee Wine Grape Growers Association.