* CSU exercise research program in Bathurst seeks participants aged 50+ * Program supports long-term active and healthy lifestyles * 22 per cent of Australian population will be aged 65 years and over by 2056 * CSU gym in Bathurst open to community membersThe Active Living Longer (ALLong) program at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst seeks men and women aged 50 years and over to participate in its ongoing wellbeing and exercise research.Dr Eevon Stott (pictured), adjunct research fellow in the CSU School of Exercise Science, Sport and Health in Bathurst, said the (ALLong) program aims to help adults aged 50 years and over to pursue long-term active lifestyle through applied science, education, and technology.“The broad aim of Active Living Longer is to empower the community to get healthier, and we have started with group exercise sessions at the gym at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst as a safe and supportive environment,” Dr Stott said.“Statistics from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare project that 22 per cent of the population will be aged 65 years and over by 2056. ALLong aims to assist this group to remain independent for longer.“One of the exciting elements of this program for me is being able to test over time if a wellbeing program can not only assist with obvious improvements in physical ability, but if it can also affect mental or cognitive performance positively in older people. This is all about improving the overall quality of life as we age.”There are three elements to the ALLong program:Group Exercise Sessions: Guided by an exercise scientist and modified for each person to suit to their capabilities.Research: Participants in the Group Exercise Sessions can opt to participate in research comprising physical, physiological, balance, and wellbeing measures.Education: Since physical function is only a part of the equation of active and healthy ageing, the ALLong program will expand its offerings to include workshops covering topics about nutrition, and cognitive and mental health.Participants pay a small fee to attend, and the funds generated go towards maintaining sustainability of the sessions. Those who opt in for the research component will be able to use their results from the research to track their own progress over time.“My current participants paid for an eight-session pass to the group exercise sessions, but already two have ‘graduated’ to joining the gym,” Dr Stott said.“In time we will offer Tai Chi classes at a cost of a gold coin donation, and an ‘Exercise 101’ theory and practical course.“Further on, Active Living Longer hopes to collaborate with nutritionists to deliver workshops about eating for older adults, and I also plan to have an annual calendar of events to coincide with existing public awareness campaigns such as Seniors’ Week, Falls Prevention Week, and so on.”“The research is longitudinal, and I take a set of measurements to provide to participants so their results motivate them to remain accountable to themselves as much as possible. The aim is to get them to repeat the measurement process every six months.”Gym supervisor CSU in Bathurst, Mr Stephen Howell, commended the ALLong program saying, “It’s fantastic to see more and more people using this great facility. The gym staff have done a lot of work to improve the environment, plus we have purchased a lot more new equipment. The new extended opening hours have really hit a great note with our community patrons, and we can’t wait to get more members.”ALLong begins in Bathurst, but the model will be expanded to include other Charles Sturt University campuses and regional communities in time.For more information or to enrol in the ALLong program contact Dr Eevon Stott on 0408 721 752 or email estott@csu.edu.au

* CSU Wagga Wagga presented 11  2018 Charles Sturt University NAIDOC Awards * The NAIDOC theme this year is Because Of Her We Can * Today we celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and the active and significant roles they play across the Wagga Wagga region Charles Sturt University (CSU) is proud to be recognising women, as part of the National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week theme this year, Because of Her We Can.Head of Campus at CSU in Wagga Wagga Ms Miriam Dayhew said, “For at least 65,000 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have been strong partners with their men in maintaining this cultural connection through generations.“Today we have celebrated just a few of the women who continue that work in a variety of ways, and are influencing and shaping our community.“We also acknowledge that there are many, many more local women that should be recognised, in addition to those whose stories we shared today,”Eleven wonderful women were given awards from the Wagga Wagga region including CSU staff, students and former students, and key community members.Dr Faye McMillan is an inspiration to all Indigenous women and mothers. She was the first registered Australian Aboriginal Pharmacist, and was a founding member of Indigenous Allied Health Australia. Dr McMillan sits on many allied health boards, and is the Director of the Djirruwang Program Bachelor of Health Science (Mental Health).Ms Catherine Maxwell has led the development of the Reconciliation Action Plan at CSU and has shown outstanding leadership in working with stakeholders from within the University and the wider community.Aunty Kath Withers has supported educators in early childhood services to build their capacity and confidence to implement inclusive practices. This has included sharing her experiences and knowledge with educators through team meetings, Yarning circles, weaving workshops and service visits.Aunty Isobel Reid is a survivor of the Stolen Generation. She was taken from her family at the age of seven and sent to the Cootamundra Domestic Training Home for Aboriginal Girls.Aunty Isobel now Chairs the Coota Girls’ Corporation, and has been instrumental in the work for the survivors of the Stolen Generation. She has also been actively involved with the University and wider community through presenting her experiences as part of consultative processes.Ms Ella Havelka is a descendant of the Wiradjuri people and a graduate of The Australian Ballet School.  In 2009 Ella made her first appearance with Bangarra Dance Theatre and continued dancing with the company for three years. A documentary centring on Ella and her dance journey was released in 2016 at the International Film Festival. Ella’s mother, a former CSU staff member, accepted her daughter’s award on her behalf.Ms Tenayah Kelly has shown strong leadership while on secondment in the role of Programs Officer (Indigenous) in the Away from Base team, in the CSU Division of Student Services. Tenayah is continually working to improve the Indigenous student’s experience.Ms Letetia Harris is a Wiradjuri woman who has worked relentlessly towards the restoration of the Wiradjuri language. Letetia is committed to her students, developing strong relationships, to provide each of them with encouragement, guidance and shares her cultural connection, the Wiradjuri language. The work Letetia does is described by her students as “deadly”.Aunty Robyn McMillan has recently retired from CSU as an associate lecturer in the Bachelor of Health Science (Mental Health), where she taught and mentored an all-Indigenous cohort in Aboriginal culture, Aboriginal health and mental health. Aunty Robyn was also a mature age student when she completed her studies, inspiring mature age women with families who want to study and have a career.Ms Kristy Wickey is a mother of three, and has just graduated from a Bachelor of Nursing and is going on to do further studies to become an Indigenous midwife. It was no easy feat, however Kristy managed study and children, and never complained and always had a smile on her face. Kristy is a leading example of what is possible.Aunty Gail Manderson completed the Graduate Certificate in Wiradjuri Language, Culture and Heritage a few years ago as a mature age student. Since completing the certificate she is giving back to her community by working in local primary schools helping to keep the Wiradjuri language alive by teaching it.Aunty Gail is also very involved in the University. She delivers ‘Welcomes to Country’, visits the Indigenous Student Centre, and holds workshops on cooking and weaving.The final award recipient was Edna May ‘Mumma’ Jones who opened Ngungilanna, the CSU Wagga Campus Indigenous Student Centre in September 1994. Since its opening 723 Indigenous students have graduated from CSU in Wagga Wagga.As part of the ceremony ‘Mumma’ Jones’s family accepted her posthumous award for her contribution to the academic success of so many CSU in Wagga Wagga students, and gave a heart-warming speech about the impact she had on so many lives.A short student video was also shown about ‘what NAIDOC means to me’.After the formal ceremony, people took part in a weaving class facilitated by Aunty Gail, and a barbecue hosted by the Student Representative Council.“Charles Sturt University is so proud to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students and community members,” Ms Dayhew said.“It was delightful and an honour to be able to acknowledge and present awards to all these fabulous women who are making an impact across our communities.”

* Award winning author for Booranga Writers’ Centre residency * Will present a free public lecture, and a writing workshop in Wagga WaggaAward-winning author Ms Ellen van Neerven (pictured) has been announced as the third writer-in-residence at Booranga Writers’ Centre in Wagga Wagga in 2018.Vice President of Booranga Writers’ Centre and senior lecturer in English in the CSU School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Wagga Wagga Dr Lachlan Brown said Ms van Neerven will be in-residence from Sunday 8 until Saturday 14 July.“During her residency Ms van Neerven will deliver the ASAL Patrons Lecture at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery on Friday 13 July, as well as conduct a writing workshop at Booranga on Saturday 14 July,” Dr Brown said.“Ellen is a writer of Mununjali Yugambeh and Dutch heritage whose first book, Heat and Light (UQP, 2014), was the recipient of the David Unaipon Award, the Dobbie Literary Award and the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Indigenous Writers Prize.“Heat and Light was also shortlisted for The Stella Prize, the Queensland Literary Award for State Significance, and the Readings Prize. Ellen was named as a Sydney Morning Herald‘s Best Young Australian Novelist in 2015.“Ellen’s second book, a collection of poetry, Comfort Food (UQP, 2016) was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Kenneth Slessor Prize and Highly Commended for the 2016 Wesley Michel Wright Prize.”Dr Brown said that until 2016 Ellen was the managing editor of black&write! Indigenous Writing and Editing Project at State Library of Queensland. She received the 2017 Queensland Writers Centre Johnno Award and the 2015 Express Media Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Young Person in Literary Arts. She currently lives and works in Melbourne.The ASAL Patrons Lectures are hosted by ASAL with funding from the Copyright Agency,” Dr Brown said. “These lectures support emerging and distinguished Australian writers to travel to locations around Australia to present a public talk or lecture on a topic of his or her choosing for a broader public.“By bringing Australian writers into a wide range of communities, Patrons Lectures aim to stimulate broad interest in Australian writing and facilitate deeper understanding between writers, the academy, secondary teachers and the reading public.”Find more information about Ms van Neerven here: https://ellenvanneervencurrie.wordpress.com/The ASAL Patrons Lecture is from 6pm to 8pm on Friday 13 July at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, Fitzmaurice Street, Wagga Wagga. While the public lecture is free, bookings are essential as seating is limited: RSVPThe Writing Workshop by Ms van Neerven is from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday 14 July at the Booranga Writers’ Centre, Mambarra Drive, Wagga Wagga. The workshop is free for members, a $10 donation is requested from non-members: RSVPFor more information contact Booranga Writers’ Centre Vice President, Dr Lachlan Brown, labrown@csu.edu.au or Booranga Creative Director, Kathryn Halliwell, director@booranga.com

* 320 high school students expected for MyDay at CSU in Wagga Wagga on Friday 6 July* Free MyDay event is a great start to preparation for universitySenior high school students from across NSW and Victoria will attend a MyDay at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Friday 6 July to explore a range of courses and future study options.CSU prospective student adviser Mr Andrew Connell said, “With around 350 students currently registered, we can expect about 320 students plus their parents to attend the MyDay.“Students who have registered come from NSW and Victorian high schools, from as far as Melbourne and Sydney, as well as local schools across Wagga Wagga.“The students who attend MyDay can learn about the courses we offer at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga as well as general information about university and study. This free event is a great start to university preparation.“Parents are also welcome to attend most sessions to learn more about courses and study at Charles Sturt University.”Courses to be explored by the students include accounting and business, agriculture, teaching and education, animal and veterinary sciences,  oral health, medical imaging, medical science, nursing, agricultural and wine sciences, communication and creative industries, psychology and social work.

* 60 high school students expected for MyDay at CSU in Dubbo on Thursday 5 July * Free MyDay event is a great start to preparation for universitySenior high school students from across NSW will attend a MyDay at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo on Thursday 5 July to explore a range of courses and future study options.CSU prospective student adviser Ms Hilary Matchett said, “With around 54 students currently registered, we can expect about 60 students plus parents to attend the MyDay.“The students who have registered come from a very broad area as well as our own region, from a range of schools from Forbes and Parkes, to Wellington and Coonamble.“The students who attend MyDay can learn about the courses we offer at Charles Sturt University as well as general information about university and study. This free event is a great start to university preparation.“Parents are also welcome to attend most sessions to learn more about courses and study at Charles Sturt University.”Courses to be explored by the students include nursing, social work, and teaching and education.

* Annual CSU Faculty of Science symposium in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 June showcases variety and breadth of its research * More than 50 research presentations at symposium * Faculty’s new post-doctoral Fellows to present their research findingsCharles Sturt University (CSU) higher degree by research (HDR) and Honours students will deliver more than 50 presentations on their research topics at the annual Faculty of Science Symposium and Dinner in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 June.Sub Dean (Graduate Studies) in the CSU Faculty of Science Associate Professor Sandra Savocchia said the packed schedule will also include special presentations by three of the new Faculty post-doctoral Fellows who will report on the latest outcomes from their research.“The annual symposium gives HDR and Honours students in the Faculty of Science the opportunity to present their research to fellow students and staff at the University and to share their research ideas,” said Professor Savocchia who is based at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre at CSU.“This annual event showcases the extraordinary variety and breadth of research in the Faculty and is a great way to support students through their research and for students to network, especially those who study remotely.“The students also have the opportunity to attend a professional development workshop on ‘building emotional resilience’ presented by Ms Kylie Bell.”The guest speaker at the symposium dinner on Thursday night is Faculty of Science post-doctoral Fellow Dr Adam Frew who is building his research portfolio by investigating the ecology of silicon in soil-plant-insect interactions in order to answer questions about the natural world. Dr Frew will speak to the audience about his journey from Scotland to gaining his current position at CSU.Post-doctoral Fellow Dr Sarah Verdon will speak to the students about the two foci of her research, Supporting the speech, language and communication development of culturally and linguistically diverse children, and Developing a culturally responsive health workforce.Another Fellow to speak, Dr James Turner, studies how animals must balance energy intake with energy expenditure to survive, reproduce, and maintain healthy populations. To better understand the mechanisms enabling these responses, he studied the thermal biology of cryptic Australian marsupials, North American bat disease ecology, and urban wildlife adaptation in Europe using a combination of field and laboratory techniques.Post-doctoral Fellow Dr Joanna Gambetta will describe how geographical origin affects the berry chemical composition and quality grade of Chardonnay grapes.Some of the more than 50 research topics explored by the students include: * An exploration of a tailored cardiovascular exercise and education program for Aboriginal men in a regional centre (Brett Biles) * An examination of women in leadership positions in sport: A case study of Australian Rules Football (Kelsey Richards) * Verification of the production system of origin of grass and grain fed beef (Bridgette Logan) * Phenolic extracts of Mentha and their role in controlling Alzheimers disease (Doaa Hanafy) * What is the effect of scale in hydraulic modelling for the in-stream river flow? (Inam Ahmed) * An exploration of Greek migrant experiences and later life emotional wellbeing: A qualitative study (Georgia Tziros) * Digesting and understanding Australian rice after heat processing (Michelle Toutounji) * The storied self in tourism spaces: Using a qualitative narrative methodology as a framework for understanding self-identity in Niseko, Japan (Kim Nelson) * Factors influencing maternal health outcomes: A mixed method study in rural northern Ghana (Joshua Sumankuuro) * Effect of continuous or sprint interval exercise training on prognostic cardiovascular health measures in sedentary obese middle-aged men (Blake Collins) * Environmental water recovery in the Murray-Darling Basin (Michael Vanderzee)

* Due to immigration and visa rules four CSU International students are not permitted to attend their official Graduation. * To celebrate their hard work and achievements, CSU is holding a special graduation. Charles Sturt University (CSU) is committed to giving its students the best experience possible, even when they can’t stay for their graduation.Four Australia Award Students will complete their studies at the end of session one, this year. However, due to immigration and visa rules the students are not permitted to attend the official graduation at the end of the year.Office for Students, Liaison Officer (International) Mrs Jacquie Blomfield, said “We want to celebrate their achievements by holding the special graduation photos.”The Wagga Wagga community is invited to come along and help celebrate the achievements of the International students at the Wagga Wagga campus.‘We are pleased to be able to support and celebrate the success of our international students.’“Charles Sturt University is dedicated to supporting its International students from pre-departure right through to graduation. This supports and assists the students to successfully achieve their academic success.” Mrs Blomfield concluded. * Event detailsDate: Wednesday 27 June  Time: 10:30am to 12pmLocation: Joyes Hall CSU Wagga Wagga.

* 180 high school students expected for MyDay at CSU in Albury-Wodonga on Wednesday 27 June* Free MyDay event is a great start to preparation for universitySenior high school students from across NSW will attend a MyDay at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga on Wednesday 27 June to explore a range of courses and future study options.CSU prospective student adviser Ms Katie Trebley said, “With around 150 students currently registered, we can expect about 180 students plus parents to attend the MyDay.“Students who have registered come from NSW and Victorian high schools, from as far as Bendigo and Echuca to Dubbo, as well as local schools across Albury-Wodonga.“The students who attend MyDay can learn about the courses we offer at Charles Sturt University in Albury-Wodonga as well as general information about university and study. This free event is a great start to university preparation.“Parents are also welcome to attend most sessions to learn more about courses and study at Charles Sturt University.”Courses to be explored by the students include accounting and business, environmental science and outdoor recreation, podiatry, occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy, gerontology, leisure and health, and teaching and education.

* Leading entrepreneurship educator to speak at CSU in Bathurst * Dynamic speaker re the importance of entrepreneurship in economic developmentA leading entrepreneurship academic from Finland will deliver an ‘in conversation’ presentation at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Thursday 28 June.Professor of Entrepreneurship at CSU and academic lead on the CenWest Innovate Next Stage Growth Program, Professor Morgan Miles, said the free presentation by Professor Peter Kelly will examine the question ‘How do successful entrepreneurs operate?’Professor Kelly is Professor of Practice, High-growth Entrepreneurship (pictured left), at Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland, and will share his insight of how high performing entrepreneurs operate for success.“I first met Peter in Stockholm over 15 years ago,” Professor Miles said. “He was the most dynamic speaker I had ever heard on the topic of the importance of entrepreneurship in economic development, and since then he has only become better.“He has been based in Finland since 1998, and has been the driving force behind entrepreneurship education at the Helsinki School of Creative Entrepreneurship at Aalto University, an initiative that involved all the Schools and the largest private donor to Aalto University. “Before becoming Finland’s first Professor of Practice in High Growth Entrepreneurship, Professor Kelly spent a year as Professor of Practice at the School of Art and Design where he developed a rapid opportunity prototyping course to explore the intersection between the disciplines of design and entrepreneurship.”Professor Miles (pictured left) said the CSU School of Management and Marketing, CenWest Innovate, and the Sydney School of Entrepreneurship have cooperated to make this event possible.“We are grateful that our partnership with Sydney School of Entrepreneurship has resulted in significant learning and teaching events such as this,” Professor Miles said. “Peter will make two presentations on 28 June, one to faculty at the University who are interested in research and teaching entrepreneurship, and a second to the public as a CenWest Innovate public event.”The ‘in conversation’ public presentation by Professor Kelly is from 6pm to 7pm on Thursday 28 June at CSU Engineering (building 1305), Village Drive, CSU in Bathurst.To attend this free event please register for catering purposes: https://www.facebook.com/events/172871420054430/Learn more about Professor Peter Kelly here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDrNI_IgzVc