A self-described Sydney-centric says Dubbo has been the “best four years” of his life. Darren Oen will graduate with Bachelor of Education (Primary) Honours on Thursday 24 May at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Dubbo Campus. He says he and the Campus have grown up together. “I arrived in February 2003 and had to stay in the caravan park for two weeks because my student residence wasn’t quite ready. I have watched the campus grow - double in size, car parks and new buildings, landscaping and paths.” CSU Dubbo’s Cath Smith says Darren “has made a big impact on the Campus, so seeing him complete his Honours is a proud moment for many of the staff members”. Darren begins teaching at a private school in Sydney city next term. And his advice to high school students considering a move to the country for tertiary study? “I’d definitely recommend it. You learn to see things a little bit differently. My way of looking at life now is more balanced and more just. It’s very personally enriching. You grow up a lot. It was a great experience.”

Twelve students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will have the ultimate cultural experience in teaching when they land in the Pacific Island country of Vanuatu for three weeks of teaching practice in three schools around the nation’s capital, Port Vila. The students, in their third year of the early childhood / primary school education degree based on the Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst and Dubbo campuses, will teach for one week in each of Peter Pan School, Port Vila International School and The Central School, starting Saturday 16 October. The program coordinator Ms Sharon Milsome, said immersing the students in the culture gave them a better understanding of how other cultures teach and learn. “Students can try different teaching strategies and hopefully learn from the teachers they are placed with in a variety of classrooms. The students have prepared a variety of lesson plans and ideas to implement while they are there, and will share ideas among their peers. They might even have some fun!” The students return to Australia on Saturday 6 November.

Do you stutter, or know of someone who does? You may be interested in learning more about a treatment program soon being offered locally. Speech pathology academics at Charles Sturt University (CSU) are keen to hear from interested adults who stutter. Stuttering program coordinator Ms Lisa Brown said one percent of Australian adults stutter, and “we have developed strategies and techniques to reduce the impact of stuttering”. Ms Brown would like to hear from adults around Albury-Wodonga who want to take part in an intensive one-week treatment program to be conducted in early November by final year speech pathology students. Ms Brown, who is an experienced speech pathologist and is now completing her doctoral research on stuttering, will supervise the students. The program will start on Monday 1 November on CSU’s Thurgoona site.

Several Charles Sturt University (CSU) Visual and Performing Arts students are hoping they get their break into the world of entertainment with the popular Australian Idol television show holding auditions at the CSU Wagga Wagga Campus today Tuesday 3 April. CSU students have joined other hopeful performers, aged between 16 and 30, from across country NSW who have converged on Joyes Hall. It is the first Australian Idol audition to be held in Wagga Wagga and the Riverina region of NSW. Australian Idol judge Ian "Dicko" Dickson is providing his caustic comments and critical acclaim during today’s auditions. Production manager Claire Worlidge says “everybody has been really looking forward to the auditions; there’s a real buzz across the campus”.

Despite numerous community education campaigns, public awareness of the prevention and risks of osteoporosis remains distressingly low, according to Associate Professor Maree Donna Simpson from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Biomedical Sciences. Dr Simpson addressed inland pharmacists at CSU’s latest Pharmacy Continuing Education Session on Sunday 25 March, urging them to look for any signs of the debilitating disease amongst their patients. “Look for the symptoms – a broken bone, those who are particularly slim, very low body weight. For example, one of the easiest viewed indicators of osteoporosis in older women is a body mass of less than 70 kilos.” Professor Simpson says osteoporosis is a “disease of the ‘baby boomers’. But they think it is a disease of their ‘mums and dads’. Risk factors include genetics, medications for asthma or Crohn’s Disease, or having had an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.”

Life, colour, noise and action are ideas not previously associated with the traditional academic library, but Charles Sturt University has transformed its Bathurst Campus library to reflect modern thinking in the way people now learn and interact. “The new Learning Commons on Bathurst Campus is a significant departure from what a traditional library used to be, and is part of CSU’s response to the rapid evolution of learning that is driven by technology,” said CSU Library Services executive director Ms Shirley Oakley. “With our focus on co-location, co-operation and collaboration between students and academics, we have developed this 24 hour a day, seven day a week facility to support students and to attract the next generation of students to CSU.”  Bathurst Regional Council (BRC) has shown considerable interest in the new facility, with Ms Oakley and director of library operations Ms Kerryn Amery taking the Mayor of Bathurst, Mr Norm Mann, Councillor Gordon Crisp, and BRC executives on a tour of the new Learning Commons at 4pm on Monday 2 April.

Staff from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Dubbo Campus will walk together to support Relay for Life this Saturday 31 March. The “Smarties” team, comprising CSU staff and their families, will take to Victoria Park Oval, Dubbo along with 67 other teams to raise funds for cancer research, education, support services and advocacy. “There are a lot of people on our campus who have been affected by cancer in one way or another,” says team coordinator Jenny Greene. Team members have been encouraged by the donations already received from fellow CSU staff and students, with a successful skipping competition raising another $800. “We had so much fun organising the skipping competition and can’t wait until the weekend to raise money again for such a worthy cause.” To make a donation online, visit the “Smarties” website.

Is mathematics and romance linked? Can numbers really influence your dating life? In the context of human behaviour, mathematics can provide unique and exciting insights. Residents of Wagga Wagga are invited to attend a dalliance at a Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Wagga Wagga City Council public lecture by Dr Clio Cresswell, a well known mathematician, author and writer who features regularly on television, radio and in print. Dr Cresswell will use equations to explain love, marital bliss and even the number of dates attendants should enjoy before settling down. The lecture will be held at Wagga Wagga Civic Centre Historic Council Chambers from 6pm on Thursday 29 March. Lovers will not only leave with some great romance tips, but also a rekindled sense of how amazing mathematics is.

Is Australia up to the standard of France in wine production? Those attending a public seminar at Charles Sturt University’s Orange Campus next Tuesday 3 April will discover one man’s personal exploration into the difference between the wine industry in these two countries. At a seminar titled Grapes, Wines and Terroir, a Franco-Australian Perspective, Frenchman and recently arrived associate lecturer in horticulture production Yann Guisard will talk about grape and wine production, marketing, retail and consumer perceptions. “I found, from a French person’s point of view, that the industry is less controlled in Australia,” Mr Guisard says. “In France the industry is very structured but it's being subjected to change because of the European Union.” The seminar will be held in Lecture Theatre One, Orange Campus on Tuesday 3 April from 1 to 2pm.