Work on a pig farm in southern NSW during student placements from 2005 to 2008 encouraged a Charles Sturt University (CSU) veterinary science student’s interest in the pork industry and has led to her being awarded an all-expenses paid study trip to Canada. Fifth-year Bachelor of Veterinary Science student Ms Jill Groat has been named the winner of the Australian pork industry’s biennial Doug Ross Travel and Study Award. Supported by Australian Pork Ltd, the award honours the late veterinarian Mr Doug Ross and his work for the pig industry. Ms Groat is the first student to win the award, which she will use to attend the International Pig Veterinary Society Congress in Vancouver, Canada, from Sunday 18 to Tuesday 20 July, and to build contacts in the industry. From the small town of Rankins Springs in the Riverina, Ms Groat gained her first experience working with pigs during voluntary work experience at a piggery at Young the year before she began the veterinary science course at CSU in Wagga Wagga. “The award is very exciting and I particularly hope to bring back knowledge about the management of pigs in cold climates,” Ms Groat said.

A palliative care forum at the Western Plains Cultural Centre, Dubbo, on Saturday 29 May is being co-organised by lecturing staff in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo. Lecturer Ms Maria Bennet said, “Our aim is to raise awareness of key palliative care issues for Dubbo and the region through the various public speakers and debate. The forum will include a debate by students from Dubbo College Senior Campus (topic, Palliative care is better provided in hospital), a series of short public speeches by prominent local and visiting identities, including local general practitioners, guest speaker specialists in the field of palliative care, and an open forum discussion.” Guest speakers include Mr Warren Mundine, Ms Jenni George, Dr Frank Brennan, Mr Peter Davis, Ms Joan Ryan, Ms Lyn Sykes and the CSU Foundation Professor of Rural Pharmacy, Professor Patrick Ball.

A contingent of police from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf, were the guests at a special graduation ceremony and dinner at the Australian Graduate School of Policing (AGSP) at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Manly on Wednesday 19 May. Ten officers from a group of 14 travelled to Manly especially for the ceremony to receive their Master of Arts (Criminal Intelligence) and Graduate Diplomas (Criminal Intelligence). CSU’s Mr Patrick Walsh, the course co-ordinator, said, “These officers were unable to attend the main policing graduation, but I am very pleased that the School was able to provide a special graduation dinner for them which the University’s Chancellor, Mr Lawrie Willett, AO, and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Ross Chambers, attended with Associate Professor Tracey Green, the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts (Policing and International). This ceremony was smaller than the usual CSU graduation, but it’s very special as the students have flown all the way from Abu Dhabi. They are accompanied by senior officers from Abu Dhabi Police, including the head of their training department. The AGSP and Abu Dhabi Police will meet before the ceremony to discuss how to expand this program.”

Starting school is an important time for young children, their families and communities. Charles Sturt University (CSU) Professor of Education, Bob Perry, will present a public lecture hosted by CSU on what children think is important to them when starting school. Much material in his lecture, titled ‘So many people…’, arises from research carried out locally and around Australia by researchers in the CSU Murray School of Education in Albury-Wodonga, particularly on what children have to say about starting school. These perceptions were investigated through discussions, drawings, photo journals, student-led tours and other approaches. Professor Perry will also highlight the implications of these perceptions for adults, particularly parents and educators, and for education policy. The public lecture will start at 6pm on Wednesday 2 June in the Nowik Auditorium, CSU in Albury-Wodonga, off Guinea Street in Albury.

Two new Charles Sturt University (CSU) scholarships will give postgraduate students the chance to achieve positive environmental change at Newcrest Mining’s Cadia Valley Operations near Orange. Cadia Valley Operations’ Acting Environment and Community Relations Manager Belinda Perry says the company is keen to collaborate with the University in restoration ecology. “Cadia Valley Operations is working with CSU on several projects involving operations, environmental assessments, rehabilitation research and the positive impact our work has on the local economy,” Ms Perry says. “We were delighted to offer two new $2 500 scholarships to areas that interest both our company and the local community.” With research topics covering biodiversity of soil biota in topsoil stockpiles, and metal uptake by vegetation in a mine rehabilitation area, the recruited candidates could start their year of research study and intensive field work as soon as August 2007.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) can boast that it breeds both top graduates and champion horses. At a recent dressage championship event in Bathurst, nine horses associated with the breeding program at CSU in Orange competed with all placing credibly in their classes. Some won champion and reserve championship awards. “These horses were purchased at auction a few years ago and they are now coming of age and competing,” said CSU Orange Equine Management Centre  technical officer Ms Cheryl Gander. “What is exciting is that, the horses are not only proving to be trainable and worth working with, but many of them are showing super talent. It is not unusual to see one of our ’Harvest Horses’ competing and winning against some of the very best horses. The Charles Sturt University horses have the reputation of being talented, well-handled, quiet and affordable.”

A mental health worker from the remote Pilbara region of Australia’s far northwest has been honoured by Charles Sturt University (CSU) for her achievements in the unique Djirruwang Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Program. Ms Katie Papertalk is the first Western Australian student in the University’s Bachelor of Health Science (Mental Health) degree to receive a Faculty of Science Dean’s Award. Students who have achieved consistent Distinctions or High Distinctions are nominated for the award. In a ceremony in the Marr Mooditj Foundation garden in Perth, Ms Papertalk was presented the Dean’s Award by the Djirruwang Program Director Mr Wayne Rigby. “Receiving a Dean’s Award is a proud moment for any student and for an Aboriginal student it is an honour for themselves as well as their family and community,” Mr Rigby said. Since its inception as a pilot program in southern NSW in 1994, the Djirruwang Program has graduated 111 mental health workers. “With the support of the WA Department of Health, Charles Sturt University expects a record student intake from Western Australia in 2011,” said Mr Rigby.

Four television production students and an acting student from Charles Sturt University (CSU) have returned to CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus on the weekend after testing their television production skills at the world’s biggest sporting event for four weeks at the Beijing Olympics. The students were employed as camera operators and production support staff on the Olympic Green in the Chinese capital. The third year students have hailed their time at the Olympic Games as a wonderful opportunity as they prepare to embark on their careers at the end of the year. “We loved going into work each day during the Olympics,” said television production student Ms Katrina Beesley. “The grounding that we had from CSU lecturers gave us the professionalism we needed to work at the international event and that was reaffirmed by our employers. Hopefully, Beijing will be the first of many Olympics Games that we get to work on." The CSU School of Visual and Performing Arts, educates television production students for entry to the television industry.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) Internet Marketing students will pitch their internet marketing plan to Bathurst Regional Council (BRC) next week. Victoria Jackson, BRC’s manager of marketing and communication, says BRC has launched two new web sites. “This is really just a starting point - you have to get the look and feel right. After that it is about how we manage those sites. So we are tapping into where the students are – at the forefront of what is going on in the industry. They are looking for a project, and we are just starting out – it is a nice synchronicity.” Andrew Mashman from CSU’s School of Marketing and Management says the class has been broken into eight teams working on two briefs. “The first is focusing on attracting more tourists to Bathurst for short and medium term stays, while the second is looking at bringing investment to the town.”