Paramedic students will respond to a simulated collision between a bus and a truck at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Wednesday 30 September.The multi-casualty incident on the lawn in front of the University's Truskett Library will run from 9am to 5pm and involve 150 paramedic students.CSU paramedic academic Ms Amanda Hlushek said, "In two-hour slots, the students will be dispatched to an explosion on a 12-passenger bus which has veered out of control into oncoming traffic and hits a truck. "There will be bodies scattered everywhere with injuries ranging from unconscious patients, to blast injuries. "The first year Bachelor of Clinical Practice (Paramedic) students will work with a partner and be tasked at triaging, calling additional resources and providing care for over 15 patients in and around the vehicles."Students have been working on extrication, triage, and trauma treatment and now are able to put these skills to use in the multi-casualty incident."The exercise follows a simulated car crash at CSU in Bathurst last week involving paramedic students, and representatives from NSW Police, NSW Ambulance and the State Emergency Service.

Staff and students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst have raised more than $8 600 by staging the inaugural CSU Amazing Race to support local cancer support organisation Daffodil Cottage. The CSU Amazing Race was staged over two weeks from 1pm to 4pm on Wednesday 16 and Wednesday 23 September. Head of Campus at CSU in Bathurst Professor Jo-Anne Reid said the 2015 event has aimed to generate awareness of and funding for the building extension project of the Daffodil Cottage cancer support unit. "Our ongoing aim is to raise over $5 000 dollars each year for a project that will benefit the Bathurst community, as well as link and engage the spirit of the University community," Professor Reid said. "Well done to all the teams and their supporters who took part and contributed their good will, good humour and good competitive spirit to make the inaugural CSU Amazing Race such a great success. My particular thanks go to the organising team, our student interns, and our wonderful student web developer, Todd McIntosh. It is great to see the community spirit that has extended across the whole campus, involving both students and staff." Professor Reid said by the end of counting at 3pm on Wednesday $5 644 had been raised by registered donations, plus an additional $540 was collected in the Daffodil Cottage buckets. "It is an 'amazing' anonymous donation of $2 500 that has brought the total to $8 684," Professor Reid said. "The University is particularly grateful to this donor, whose generosity gave us the initial incentive and then spurred us on with the promise of the matching funding. People can still donate to this worthy cause via the Amazing Race website at www.csuamazingrace.com.au, until next Monday morning 28 September." The Creative Comm-rades team topped the leader board at the end of the Race by raising $1 033 in donations, closely followed by Crouching Frog, Hidden Librarians which raised $1 007. The Challenge Race winning team was the Terrific Teachers, with the Crouching Frog, Hidden Librarians as runners-up.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga has a new Head of Campus. The appointment of Ms Julie Cleary (pictured) as head of Campus was announced by Ms Linda Breen, the acting University Secretary and Director of Corporate Affairs, and acting Director, Government and Community Relations. Ms Breen said, "Julie holds a senior position with Charles Sturt University, as Manager, Innovation and Capability, in the Division of Student Administration. She is an accomplished member of the University and its Albury-Wodonga community. Julie's considerable experience, skills, and networks will benefit the University in extending and developing its relationship with the Albury-Wodonga region." Ms Cleary joined the University in 2002, and has held a range of positions, including a secondment as Deputy University Secretary, and Manager of the CSU Office of Corporate Affairs. Prior to joining CSU she was Personal and Diary Secretary to Mr Tim Fischer, MP, and held teaching and administrative roles with Albury-Wodonga Continuing Education Centre (1999) and Riverina TAFE (1996-1999). "I am delighted to take on the role of Head of campus at Charles Sturt University in Albury-Wodonga," Ms Cleary said. "I look forward to working with the University's students and staff to contribute to a stronger region by strengthening relationships with our Albury-Wodonga community." Ms Breen and Ms Cleary acknowledged the excellent contribution of outgoing Head of Campus Professor Julia Coyle and thanked her for her dedication to advancing relations between the University and the Albury-Wodonga region, including the development of the University's presence in Wangaratta.

Current and emerging technologies used to predict glucose levels will be discussed at a public seminar hosted by Charles Sturt University's (CSU) School of Computing and Mathematics on Monday 28 September. 'Prediction of Glucose Levels in Patients with Diabetes' will be presented by Professor Sanjoy Paul, Head of the Clinical Trials and Biostatistics Unit (CTBU) at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. The seminar will be held at CSU in Bathurst and streamed by video conference in Albury-Wodonga, Orange and Wagga Wagga. The seminar is free and open to the public. For more information contact CSU Senior Lecturer Dr Manoranjan Paul at mpaul@csu.edu.au

The state government's Multicultural NSW Advisory Board will visit Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 24 September as part of a trip to the city to attend a community forum.Seven members of the Board, including Multicultural NSW Chief Executive Officer Mr Hakan Harman, will tour CSU's National Life Sciences Hub from 1.10pm to 1.40pm.They will then meet five of the University's PhD students who are expected to discuss their research with the Board members and their experiences of studying in regional Australia.Among the students will be Ms Saba Nabi, who won the Higher Education category of the NSW International Student Awards in 2014. She and her husband Mr Syed Haris Omar moved from New Delhi to Wagga Wagga with their young family to undertake their PhDs.Ms Saba was recently elected to the Board of the Multicultural Council of Wagga Wagga. In July, the postgraduate student was elected as the equity officer for the Council of International Students Australia.The state Multicultural Advisory Board Advisory Board will later attend a Mayoral reception hosted by Councillor Rod Kendall, Community Forum, Working Together in Wagga Wagga.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) paramedic students will gain an insight into the rescue and treatment of patients involved in a car crash during a simulation exercise on Tuesday 22 September. The simulation at CSU in Bathurst will also involve representatives from NSW Police, NSW Ambulance and the State Emergency Service (SES). Associate lecturer Ms Amanda Hlushak from CSU's School of Biomedical Sciences said motor vehicle accidents are often a daily occurrence in the job of a paramedic. "Bringing together multiple agencies to participate in a large scale simulation, such as a this motor vehicle simulation, means that students can see first-hand how these services work together and the important role they play in motor vehicle accidents," she said. "This is invaluable for students to see before they experience it in their work placements." Some first year students, along with peer tutors, will participate in the simulation exercise while another 150 students are expected to observe.

Two Charles Sturt University (CSU) academics will lead a public discussion with Australian author Kate Llewellyn (pictured) about her book First Things First at the National Library of Australia in Canberra on Tuesday 22 September. The editors of First Things First, Dr Ruth Bacchus in the CSU School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Dr Barbara Hill in the CSU Division of Student Learning, will discuss Ms Llewellyn's new anthology of selected letters from her private correspondence with artists and writers (1977 to 20014). "The correspondence in First Things First brims with energy, humour and insights into Kate's life," Dr Hill said. "Kate has also been a visiting writer at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga and Bathurst in the past. We welcome all who are interested in Australian literature to come along and learn more about the life of this fascinating and much-loved Australian author." The public discussion with Kate Llewellyn will be in the conference room of the National Library of Australia in Parkes Place, Canberra, at 6pm Tuesday 22 September. Admission is $10 and includes refreshments and book signing. Book here or on 6262 1271 (9am to 12pm Monday to Friday).

The 2015 SPRUNG Festival of Creativity bounces onto stages at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst for a season of innovative live performances from Wednesday 23 September to Saturday 3 October. One of the coordinators of the festival Ms Emily Pierce said, "This year's annual SPRUNG Festival of Creativity will present seven innovative productions that showcase the talents of final-year Bachelor of Communication (Theatre/Media) students in the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst. The whole production team is really excited that the 2015 SPRUNG Festival program boasts more creativity than ever." This year's festival program is based at the Ponton Theatre (building 1434), with productions also happening at the Creative Hub (in building 1399) and multiple other nearby outdoor locations at the University. The shows will be performed in an exciting array of styles including cabaret (with a feminist twist), physical theatre, political satire, live TV studio performance, and two-part scripted drama. Information about SPRUNG 2015 session dates and times, tickets, and a synopsis of each show can be found here or visit the SPRUNG Festival Facebook page. Contact Ms Heather Morton on 0434 869 909 or heather.morton14@hotmail.com for more information.

School students from Cootamundra, Junee and Wagga Wagga will experience the stellar opportunities of higher education in a visit to Charles Sturt University (CSU) tomorrow 15 September as part of the CSU Future Moves aspiration outreach program.  The students from Years 6 and 7 will reach for the skies in the COSMODOME mobile planetarium as part of a Check it Out Day and the Sky Stories project. The students will attend one of three sessions from 9.30am to 2.30pm at the basketball courts, opposite Beres Ellwood Oval, Valder Way, CSU in Wagga Wagga.  The Sky Stories project aims to use astronomy to engage students in Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Future Moves program coordinator, Ms Ravnita Sharma said, "The day is intended to build aspiration and engagement in the school students by offering them engaging experiences at Charles Sturt University. At the same time it reinforces STEM skills at school." Read more about the Future Moves program here and the Sky Stories project initiatives on Facebook.