From bouncing balls to lava lamps, teenage sleep deprivation to what makes plants grow – 100 school students have put their scientific theories to the test at a competition held at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga. The Science Investigation Awards were held by the Primary Industries Centre for Science Education, in partnership with CSU, on Friday 16 September. The major prize, the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation’s Science Investigation Award, was won by Jasmine Garland, a Year 10 student from Mount Austin High School in Wagga Wagga, for her project looking at plant tolerance to acid, salt and grey water. The effect of different liquids on plants was also a topic explored by Year 6 students Tayla Fisher and Jack Langley from St Joseph’s Primary School in Narrandera. “Science is fun and I’ve learned a lot of things I didn’t know before,” said Jack. “We saw how white carnations turned different colours when we put them in coloured water.” Jack and Tayla won the Murray Darling Basin Authority’s Earth and Environment Award.

Exposing young school students to important health and safety messages is the focus of a cooperative effort between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and West Albury Primary School at the annual Health and Safety Education Expo. Around 80 students enrolled in CSU’s early childhood education degree will present hands-on learning experiences and displays to 80 children between Kindergarten and Year 2, who will practise storm survival, be healthy fruit master chefs, escape an imaginary fire, and discover how to be head lice busters. "Charles Sturt University students are involved in hands-on teaching and learning with the local community. The students researched their topics with the help of local professionals and prepared interactive experiences for the school children. The expo emphasises the importance of giving young children support to promote their own wellbeing from a very young age," said early childhood education lecturer, Ms Angela Fenton, from CSU’s Murray School of Education  at Thurgoona. West Albury Public School will host the Health and Safety Education Expo between 2pm and 3.30pm on Wednesday 21 September.

International early career researchers continue to flock to the Border region, with research students from Indonesia, China, Nepal, Bhutan, India, Canada and Ghana commencing research Doctorate and Master degrees during 2011.  Mr Patrick Cobbinah came from Ghana in West Africa to Albury in July to explore how economic, social and environmental issues could be integrated in the planning of ecotourism activities in Ghana. “I chose Charles Sturt University to do my Masters as there are reasonable research facilities available and experts in research related to ecotourism and poverty. The city of Albury is such a serene place, where there are constant efforts in integrating environmental, social and economic needs and variables into management plans, especially on the University’s campus at Thurgoona,” Mr Cobbinah said. Seven postgraduate research students have commenced their studies in 2011with the CSU School of Environmental Sciences based at CSU in Albury-Wodonga.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer has joined more than 100 academics from around the world in their concern for human rights in Thailand. Dr Robert Tierney is a lecturer in management in the School of Business at CSU in Bathurst. He signed an open letter to the Thai Prime Minister Ms Yingluck Shinawatra highlighting concern about ‘the diminution of the space for the free exchange of ideas in Thailand’. A total of 112 international scholars signed the letter which draws attention to human rights issues and the political use of lese majeste (Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code) and the 2007 Computer Crimes Act. Spokesman for the academics is Kevin Hewison, Professor of Asian Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA. “The political abuse of these laws has seen a precipitous deterioration of human rights in Thailand,” said Professor Hewison. “Censorship of websites, self-censorship in the media and many, many charges of disloyalty mean serious restrictions on freedom of expression.” Dr Tierney said, “The legislative changes in Thailand make it much more difficult for people  to speak out in this so-called democracy. Any legislative decree which sets out to squeeze the right to freedom of academic expression silences not only those who wish to undertake research which may be deemed hostile to the authorities but also interviewees who desire their views to be expressed.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst recently hosted ‘Xplore CSU’, an on-campus information day for 44 Year 5 and 6 students from Tullamore Central School, Tottenham Central School and Kelso Public School in Bathurst to encourage them to consider higher education when they finish school. “The ‘Xplore CSU’ day is part of a federally-funded program which aims to provide information, access and awareness of further education for all students, especially those from rural and remote areas which are currently under-represented in higher education,” said Ms Liz Smith, Director of Academic Support at CSU. “Research shows students’ ideas about who attends university - and more importantly who doesn’t - are formed at a very young age. It’s important for children and their families to understand their options for university, and the program helps build that understanding.” The ‘Xplore CSU’ day allowed the students to attend seminars and activities in the Schools of Computing and Mathematics, Human Movement Studies, Communication and Creative Industries, and Business.They toured university facilities, participated in a mock graduation ceremony, met CSU student ambassadors, met Wayne the robotic dog, and visited the on-campus television studio where they recorded a news bulletin.

Agricultural science students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) have again excelled at the Australian University Crops Competition held in Temora in September with two students named in the competition’s top five. An initiative of Grain Gowers Limited, the third annual competition was held from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 September. The event, covering grains, pulses and oilseeds, involved students from six Australian universities. Two members of the CSU team, Ms Ally Dingjan from Wagga Wagga and Ms Candice Robinson from Whitton finished in the top five, ensuring the pair participates in a study tour to New Zealand in 2012. In addition to the individual winners, CSU took out the University Teams Award. Crop agronomy lecturer in the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga, Dr Sergio Moroni said, “The Charles Sturt University team performed extremely well throughout the competition. The seriousness of the event did not deter them from enjoying themselves. They made me proud.” The students are studying the Bachelor of Agricultural Science at CSU in Wagga Wagga.

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Contact Centre (CC), located at the Bathurst Campus, was awarded the Vice-Chancellor's 2006 Team Award for Performance Excellence in a ceremony last night (Monday 26 February). Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Goulter said, “This annual award recognises and rewards outstanding contributions to the achievement of CSU’s objectives and priorities. My congratulations and sincere appreciation goes to the CC team, and to all nominees for their ongoing contribution to CSU’s community.” Manager of the CC Ms Kerry Browning said, “We are delighted to be recognised for our contribution to CSU. It reinforces that we are one University working to achieve common goals.” The CC provides a first point of contact for prospective students seeking information about courses, fees, scholarships and accommodation. In 2006 they handled approximately 155 000 enquiries by phone, email and on the Internet.

A former student from Springdale Heights Public School in Albury has returned to help with a young pupil’s story on the local environment as part of a Charles Sturt University (CSU) teaching and research project. Mr Jarrod Lindner is studying early childhood and primary education in the Murray School of Education  and will return to his former school on Thursday 22 September to show Kindergarten student Noah Taylor the finished product of their work together. “Earlier this year, Noah and Jarrod, together with 140 other Charles Sturt University and Springdale Heights students, ventured down to the University wetlands to take photos and write a digital story together about the experience. Jarrod has developed a presentation of Noah’s story, which he will show Noah on Thursday. It is a neat way of getting student teachers and school pupils together in one place at one time in a stimulating environment to help educate them all,” said project coordinator and leading CSU education academic, Dr Noella Mackenzie. 

Paramedic students will contend with dramatised mass trauma on the library lawn at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Wednesday 21 and Friday 23 September as part of their studies. Mr Brian Haskins, lecturer at the School of Biomedical Sciences at CSU in Bathurst, said, “The simulation will run for one hour, five times on Wednesday and four times on Friday, in a cordoned off area in front of the library to give students enrolled in the Bachelor of Clinical Practice (Paramedic) a taste of what they might later encounter on-the-job. The staged scenario is that a tractor and trailer from Charles Sturt University’s Division of Facilities Management has gone out of control and hit a number of students. There will be 10 patients to treat and 10 treating paramedics from the Clinical Skills 2 subject. The two main objectives of the scenario are to expose the students to a mass casualty incident, and to put them under some real pressure by having onlookers, including media, observing their assessment and treatment skills.” The School will also video each simulation session in full for later review by the students.