Academics, students and industry representatives will gather for the official opening of the Centre for Research in Complex Systems (CRiCS) at the School of Computing and Mathematics  at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Bathurst on Thursday 12 November. The Director of CRiCS, Professor Terry Bossomaier, said, “The natural, biological and social worlds abound with patterns in time, in space, and in human knowledge, and understanding how patterns emerge and evolve is a key research focus of the sciences of complexity. Increasing research activity over the last decade has revolved around human systems. It is this psychological and sociological dimension that is particularly strong in CRiCS which has three main integrated research themes. These are the nature of complexity itself and the theories which characterise it; complexity as a methodology for solving problems in the real world; and complexity as a model for theorising about social systems, dynamics and change.” Guests at the official opening of the CRiCS laboratories will also be able to inspect the Newcrest Mining Research and Robotics Lab, the Computer Vision Lab, the Visualisation Lab, and the Advanced Computing Lab.

A new survey aimed at improving animal health and treatment of beef cattle is being conducted by Charles Sturt University (CSU), the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, and the Hume Livestock Health and Pest Authority. The survey entitled ‘Animal Health and Treatment of Beef Cattle’ was recently distributed to 1 600 farmers in the Hume region. The study aims to evaluate how beef farmers assess animal health, and what sources of information they use to select the best treatment for their cattle. This information will be used to ensure best practice in animal healthcare and treatment. As part of the study, all beef farmers are invited to the inaugural Annual EH Graham Centre Beef Field Day on Tuesday 1 December at CSU at Wagga Wagga. The program includes several short presentations on issues such as animal health, pasture growth and economics. There will be four workshops on the following topics: How do you benchmark your own farm?; Why should I bother about pestivirus in my herd?; How to plan the best worm control; and Successful reproduction management. This free event will be hosted annually.

Clap stick painting, bush tucker barbeques, storytelling, dance, poster displays and face painting will all be on show at the annual Indigenous Day for Border primary schools and preschools run by Charles Sturt University (CSU). Students enrolled in the early childhood education course will demonstrate ethical, appropriate teaching for Indigenous activities for children. “At some point in their teaching careers, CSU students will be required to work in groups and these presentations will allow them to gauge how they can do this in ways that work for the benefit of both teachers and school children,” said the event coordinator and CSU Indigenous academic, Yalmambirra. Around 800 school children will attend the event from 9am to 2.30pm on Thursday 12 November, at Mirambeena Community Centre, Lavington (opposite Lavington swimming pool).

Wine innovation has arrived at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) with Dr Jim Hardie accepting the role as Professor of Winegrowing Innovation. Dr Hardie has more than 30 years experience in viticultural research and vineyard management including ten years with Brown Brothers Vineyards at Milawa in north east Victoria where he established the Whitlands Vineyard, a pioneering project in cool climate viticulture. Dr Hardie is a strong advocate of international collaboration, with particular interest in applying new knowledge and technology to produce premium quality wine and other grape products. Dr Hardie says his goal is “to accelerate the contribution of CSU and its collaborators in the NWGIC toward intellectual leadership and value-adding, high impact, technical innovation within the Australian wine industry”.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is providing scholarships in 2010 to assist students to meet the costs of study. CSU Equity Scholarships (CSUES) worth $2 000 a year are open to undergraduate or postgraduate students from low socio-economic backgrounds. Indigenous Access Scholarships (IAS) are valued at $4 253 for Indigenous students enrolled in courses on campus or by distance education. Recipients of the IAS also automatically receive a four year Commonwealth-funded scholarship. CSU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Ross Chambers says the scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis. “The scholarships reflect CSU’s commitment to enhance the communities of rural, regional and Indigenous Australia by making it possible for a greater number of students to participate in tertiary education,” said Professor Chambers.

People who rely on their voices for their livelihoods, such as teachers, singers and auctioneers, can receive assessment and care for the vocal tools of their trade at a free clinic in Albury starting in November. Speech pathology professionals from Albury Hospital and Charles Sturt University (CSU) along with CSU students will collaborate to offer an 'Intensive Voice Management Clinic' consisting of an assessment and five therapy sessions over three weeks. The sessions will be conducted by voice specialist and speech pathologist, Dr Alison Winkworth, and Albury Hospital senior speech pathologist, Ms Rebecca Clear, together with CSU final-year speech pathology students using the latest voice assessment and therapy technology. The clinic is due to start with an assessment session on Monday 23 November. Potential clients can contact Ms Clear on (02) 6058 4565 or email her rebecca.clear@gsahs.health.nsw.gov.au .

Keen to pursue a career in early childhood or teaching? Information sessions will be held this week at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Ontario for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies and the Bachelor of Primary Education Studies. Graduates and students will be on hand to talk about their experiences, as will the Head of School, Associate Professor Will Letts, and other CSU staff to explain the programs and entry requirements. The Program Director of the Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies, Dr Pat Dickinson, says, “Students, who have completed a two-year Early Childhood Diploma at an Ontario college with a B-average, can now complete the four year Honours Bachelor degree with two years of full-time study at Charles Sturt University. The course is one of only a few available in Ontario which provide early childhood educators with full credit for their two year diploma. As with the Bachelor of Primary Education Studies, this course has both Australian and Canadian faculty offering broad experiences to these students.” Read more about the CSU Ontario School of Education here.

Four staff members of Charles Sturt University (CSU) will be recognised for their long service to the institution, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary, at a formal luncheon to be held on Thursday 19 November. Mr Mark Carden, a senior manager with the Division of Student Administration, will be recognised for 30 years of service to CSU and its predecessor institutions and local communities. Associate Professor John Atkinson and Mrs Susan Petzke from the Faculty of Business and Mr Philip Sefton from the Division of Information Technology will also receive awards for 20 years service. All are based on the Albury-Wodonga Campus.

Three Charles Sturt University (CSU) professors will discuss the evolution of the ideas of Charles Darwin at a commemorative inaugural lecture and dinner in Bathurst on Tuesday 24 November. The inaugural Somerville Lecture is in honour of Professor Warren Somerville whose collection of world-class specimens is housed at the Bathurst Fossil and Mineral Museum in Howick Street, Bathurst. Professor Somerville will be one of the speakers, and the others are Professor Nick Klomp, Dean of the CSU Faculty of Science and Adjunct Professor David Goldney, a former lecturer and noted environmental consultant. “This will be a wonderful occasion, as it marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species on the 24 November 1859,” Professor Klomp said. “This book, as much as or more than any other, has changed the way we understand life on Earth. It is an honour to share the podium with Professor Somerville and Professor Goldney on this historic anniversary.”