Excellence in academic endeavour in the sciences will be celebrated at Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Thursday afternoon in Albury. Dean of the University’s Faculty of Science, Professor Nick Klomp, will present awards and prizes to current students and graduates as well as staff at a ceremony starting at 2.30pm. The Dean’s Awards for academic excellence, staff recognition awards and other student prizes will be presented to recipients based in Albury-Wodonga in the Schools of Community Health, Environmental Sciences, and Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health. The ceremony will be held in the Nowik Auditorium, Guinea St, Albury.

An Indigenous literary academic and leading writer will explain the vital role of literacy in Indigenous self-determination at the next annual Bob Meyenn Annual Education Lecture, to be held this Thursday 22 April at Charles Sturt University (CSU). Hosted by the University’s Murray School of Education, in Albury-Wodonga, the lecture will be presented by Indigenous Literacy Ambassador, Dr Anita Heiss, who will discuss the key ingredient missing in the education system which could easily ensure a fair and equitable life experience for her people. Dr Heiss is from the Wiradjuri nation of central NSW, born and bred in Sydney. She is an author, poet, social commentator, travel writer and satirist and has published non-fiction, historical fiction, children’s fiction and so-called ‘chicklit’. Dr Heiss will present the third Bob Meyenn Annual Education Lecture titled ‘Indigenous literacy: the key to self-determination’ at 7.30pm in the Nowik Auditorium, Guinea Street, Albury.

A Bathurst School Community Garden Network will be established through a partnership between Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Teacher Education, Bathurst Climate Change Action Network and the Rahamim Ecological Learning Community, using a grant of $35 623 from the NSW Environmental Trust..Project manager and lecturer at the CSU School of Teacher Education in Bathurst (embed link: ), Ms Jan Page, said the grant will help establish a network of individuals, schools and community groups interested in developing kitchen gardens at five schools in 2010, which will mentor more schools in the NSW Central West in 2011 to expand the network. “The project aims to implement environmental education in schools to promote sustainable living practices by establishing and developing school and community food gardens which will provide a focus to coordinate curriculum and the management of school grounds and resources sustainably,” Ms Page said. Neville Public School, Bathurst South Public School, Glenroi Heights Public School, St Philomena’s Primary School and Bathurst Christian School will take part initially in the project, which will be launched at Rahamim Ecological Learning Community in Bathurst on Wednesday 28 April.

The secrets of combining a successful career in the Australian film industry with an academic career at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will be unveiled during a seminar on Wednesday 28 April. Mr Damian Candusso is a lecturer in Multimedia and Sound Design in the School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU in Wagga Wagga. He has over 12 years of industry experience and is a multi-award winning sound designer in film, animation, games and music. Some of his recently released work includes Daybreakers and Baz Luhrmann’s Australia. Not satisfied with this work, the sound designer is enrolled in the Master of Arts Practice at CSU. His research and creative practice explores sound’s relationship with the image, and in particular film. Mr Candusso’s exhibition Nature Man Machine opened on Monday 19 April until Friday 30 April in the HR Gallop Gallery, building 21 near car park 2, Darnell Smith Drive, CSU in Wagga Wagga.

Visiting UK historian Professor Clyde Binfield will speak about renowned architect Edwin Lutyens at a public lecture hosted by Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Friday 6 July. Lutyens buildings are found in England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, the United States and India. Presented in association with the Australian Decorative & Fine Arts Society Riverina Inc. and Wagga City Council, the lecture will explore the rise, fall, and rise again of Lutyens’ reputation. Professor Binfield believes architecture should be read, explained and enjoyed, and, he says, for the historian, there can be no such thing as a boring building or a dull place.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will recognise academic excellence among its graduating students with pomp and ceremony in Albury on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 April. Students will graduate from courses in such diverse areas as accounting, nursing, teaching, physiotherapy, environmental science, speech pathology, information technology, podiatry, leisure and health, marketing and occupational therapy in three ceremonies. Highlighting the growing importance of research on the Albury-Wodonga Campus, this year 10 Doctors of Philosophy will be awarded to researchers from the Faculties of Science and Education. The three ceremonies, which are due to be attended by up to 730 graduates with their families and friends, will commence at 10.30am on 22 April at the Albury Entertainment Centre, Swift Street, Albury, and continue on 23 April.

A group of Canadian police officers are at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Manly this week undertaking a residential course as part of theirBachelor of Policingdegree by distance education. The Head of the CSUSchool of Policing Studies, Associate Professor Rosemary Woolston, said the study visit by the nine officers from three Canadian Police Forces -  Durham, Ottawa and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – was being hosted by CSU's Australian Graduate School of Policing(AGSP) in Manly in conjunction with the Manly Local Area Command (LAC). "The commander of Manly LAC, Superintendent Dave Darcy, has welcomed the Canadian officers to his command where they will observe local police in action," Professor Woolston said. "During their visit the Canadians, most of whom are Inspectors or Senior Sergeants, will provide a fresh set of eyes on policing problems in the Manly area, with a focus on drink-driving, other alcohol-related crimes, and homelessness. They have accompanied Manly police on patrol, have spoken to members of the community including local taxi drivers to gauge their observations about local crime, and have observed sessions at Manly Court. At the conclusion of their visit, the Canadians will present their findings to Superintendent Darcy and a panel of Manly community leaders."

Students in NSW and the ACT will have the opportunity to win cash prizes and donate money their favourite charity when entries open for Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) 2010 Making a Difference competition. CSU’s Making a Difference (MaD) Social Justice Innovation Award is open to all students in NSW and ACT in Year 10, 11 or 12 at high school or a student aged 15 to 21 years at TAFE. “The competition gives young people the opportunity to have an input into the challenging issues such as homelessness, teen suicide, drugs, poverty and crime,” said competition coordinator Mr Bill Anscombe, a senior lecturer in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSU. “This competition offers young people the platform to tell their story.” Students were asked to write a story, poem or script that addresses any issue of social justice for the chance to win $250 cash and to select a charity of their choice which CSU would then make a $250 donation to on their behalf.

Senior high school students from the Central West interested in exercise and human movement will explore study and career options at the MyDay information event at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Friday 30 April. Ms Katy O’Brien, a Prospective Student Adviser in the CSU Division of Marketing, said the 50 Year 11 and 12 students from State, Catholic and private schools from Canowindra, Bathurst, Lithgow, Orange, Parkes, Peak Hill and Mudgee will be involved in interactive activities with CSU academics and current students that will showcase CSU courses and facilities. “The CSU MyDay event will inform students about CSU’s Bachelor of Exercise Science Bachelor of Education (Health and Physical Education), and Bachelor of Sports Studies / Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) courses,” Ms O’Brien said. “They will explore related facilities such as the gymnasium, the exercise physiology laboratories, and the Media Centre, and will tour the Bathurst Campus. Information sessions will advise them about pathways into courses, scholarships, international study opportunities through CSU Global, and student forums.”