A place for welcome and strengthening community relations will further grow on Friday 7 September when students from Trinity Anglican College at Thurgoona work at Charles Sturt University (CSU) to plant native shrubs and bush tucker plants around the Wongamaa Gathering Area.Located on the Thurgooona site of CSU in Albury-Wodonga, the Wongamaa Gathering Area is a collaborative project between the local Wiradjuri elders and community, CSU staff and students, the Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group and the broader Thurgoona community.When fully developed, the area will be an important site where the Wiradjuri community can welcome visitors and new residents, and CSU students and lecturers can experience Wiradjuri Culture. In addition, CSU will also strengthen its relationships with the Wiradjuri and broader Aboriginal community.Starting at 1pm, Trinity students will plant native plants around the site supervised by Wiradjuri woman, Leonie McIntosh, CSU ground staff and members of the Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group.Aunty Denise McGrath, Wiradjuri elder and daughter of Wongamaa (the late Pastor Ces Grant), will also be on hand during the planting.In the previous month, the school students, CSU staff and students and Landcare volunteers prepared the site and removed encroaching weeds.Appropriate plant species and planting techniques are guided by representatives of the Wiradjuri community and Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group.While planting will commence in September this year, it is expected that plantings will continue until the official opening ceremony due in December 2019.

* Stargazing fun for everyone at CSU in Orange * Expert local astronomers and Indigenous storytellers * Enjoy Aboriginal dance, music, traditional food, and barbequeCharles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange will host an evening of astronomy and storytelling on Wednesday 12 September.Head of Campus Dr Heather Robinson said the free ‘Sky Stories’ event will combine guidance from expert astronomers and Indigenous storytelling against the beautiful backdrop of Girinyalanha Park located within the University campus.“Sky Stories is a melding of Western science and Aboriginal knowledge – a chance to look at the stars and see them from two perspectives. There’ll be an acknowledgement of country by Mr Michael Newman and Wiradjuri sky stories as told by Mr Doug Sutherland,” Dr Robinson said.“Stargaze through a telescope with local astronomers Mr Rod Somerville from the Orange Planetarium, and Mr Ray Pickard from Bathurst Observatory Research Facility.“Bring along a rug or chair, and enjoy Aboriginal dance, music, traditional food by Gerald Power of Indigenous Cultural Adventures and a barbeque at this family event.”Sky Stories is from 5.30pm to 8.30pm on Wednesday 12 September at Charles Sturt University, Leeds Parade, Orange. Parking available in P1, P2 or P3 and follow the event signs to Girinyalanha Park.More information on the event page is here; https://news.csu.edu.au/events/orange/sky-stories-community-observation-night​Sky Stories is presented by CSU Explorations Series and Future Moves and is supported by our community partners; Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council, Orange Planetarium, and Bathurst Observatory Research Facility.

* CSU forum to explore new technologies that shape people’s digital lives * Speakers include industry experts renowned in their fieldsCharles Sturt University (CSU) will present the second in a series of community forums in Wagga Wagga to explore technologies that are already part of our daily digital lives and how they will continue to shape societyThe ‘Your Digital Life – can you imagine?’ forum is presented by the uImagine team in the CSU Division of Learning and Teaching in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 12 September.uImagine’s Mr Tim Klapdor said the event was opens to adults, business people, educators and the broader community of the Riverina region.“The advent of digital technologies is impacting many aspects of our lives now and in the future,” Mr Klapdor said. “This forum is designed to create an awareness of how drones, augmented reality, and virtual reality can impact the way we learn, live, and participate in the world around us.”“Participants will be guided by industry experts renowned in their fields. These specialists will explore how our lives are being impacted in ways most of us never imagined.”The ‘Your Digital Life – can you imagine?’ event offers the opportunity to:* learn about new technologies that can shape people’s digital lives* experience virtual reality, and try augmented reality* see different types of drones and how they are usedMr Klapdor said that if people can’t attend in person but would like to experience the forum online they can register at Eventbrite to watch the livestreamed event.Register at https://tinyurl.com/YourDigitalLifeWatch the Livestream via http://waggawagga.tv/This uImagine forum is supported by community partners, including Wagga Wagga City Council; Wagga Wagga TV; The Wagga Weekly; Jar Aero-Space; Essential Energy; Awe Media; and the CSU AgriTech Incubator.The ‘Your Digital Life – can you imagine?’ event is from 4.30pm to 8.30pm at Wagga Wagga Council Chambers, corner of Baylis and Morrow Streets, Wagga Wagga.Find out more about uImagine events here: https://uimagine.edu.au/events/

* Scholarship fund-raiser dinner honours former Mayor of Dubbo and MP for Dubbo * Tony McGrane Memorial Scholarships awarded so far to 12 recipients from locations including Ballimore, Gilgandra, Dubbo, Parkes, Narromine, Wellington, Coonamble, and Trangie * Guest speaker at 2018 dinner will be Mr Roger Fletcher, owner of Fletchers International AbattoirThe Charles Sturt University (CSU) biennial 2018 Tony McGrane Memorial Scholarship dinner will be held Dubbo RSL Club on Monday 17 September.The scholarship honours the memory of Mr Tony McGrane (pictured), a former Mayor of Dubbo and later Member for Dubbo in the NSW Parliament who worked hard to establish CSU in Dubbo.Head of Campus at CSU in Dubbo Ms Cathy Maginnis said, “The University and I fully support the Tony McGrane Scholarship committee in their ongoing commitment to raising funds to provide scholarships to assist our students who reside in the Orana Region.“Scholarships are essential to assist rural students to engage in higher education because it provides opportunities for them to learn, to improve both their own and their families’ health and wellbeing, and provides greater employment opportunities.“The Tony McGrane Scholarship can mean the difference between students continuing to study or not, and greatly assists with the costs of travel, attending work placements, and eases other financial pressures.“The more funds that can be raised for the Tony McGrane Scholarships, the more scholarships can be awarded to students to increase their chance of achieving their goal and completing their study.”There have been 12 recipients of the Tony McGrane Memorial Scholarships, and this year’s recipient was a nursing student from Trangie.The guest speaker at the dinner this year will be Mr Roger Fletcher, who owns Fletchers International Abattoir. He also has rail, wool and grain enterprises, and is a board member of Infrastructure NSW. Mr Fletcher had a long association with Tony McGrane, and with CSU which awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Business in 2007 in recognition of his business contributions to the western region.Chair of the Tony McGrane Scholarship Committee Mr Geoff Wise said, “The 2018 dinner on Monday 17 September marks the 14th anniversary of the death of the late Tony McGrane, and aims to guarantee that perpetual scholarships can continue to support students from the Orana Region who attend the University in Dubbo.”Mr Wise explained that the committee is working to establish an adequate sized capital fund through tax deductable donations and attendance at the biennial dinners to support the ongoing scholarships.“All these funds are contributed through the CSU Foundation Trust and held specifically for the Tony McGrane Scholarships,” Mr Wise said.“The CSU Foundation has been extremely supportive of the efforts from the Orana Region, and has generously underwritten the provision of Tony McGrane Scholarships for the next three years.“Twelve students from locations including Ballimore, Gilgandra, Dubbo, Parkes, Narromine, Wellington, Coonamble, and Trangie have been awarded Tony McGrane Scholarships. The range of locations complements the diversity of both financial support towards the Foundation and areas of advocacy generously given by Tony McGrane.”Full-time students are eligible to apply for each annual $3,000 scholarship, with preference given to students in the first year of their studies.The cost per person to attend the biennial 2018 Tony McGrane Memorial Scholarship dinner is $150. To book a table or purchase individual tickets please promptly contact the Dubbo RSL Club on 6882 4411.

* CSU students invited to participate with emergency services in training exercise at North Haven Beach near Laurieton on the Mid North Coast * Real-world experience helps students to develop skills and perspectives Students in the paramedicine and outdoor recreation (ecotourism) programs at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Port Macquarie participated in an interagency simulated training exercise at North Haven Beach near Laurieton on Sunday 2 September.Participants had to access, stabilise, and extricate seven patients from the scene of a simulated helicopter crash. The simulated patients were located in the water, on the beach, and in the surrounding heathland.Senior lecturer in paramedicine in the School of Biomedical Sciences at CSU in Port Macquarie Mr Phillip Ebbs said, “It is a privilege for the paramedicine and outdoor recreation students to have been invited to participate in this emergency training exercise with the North Haven Surf Life Saving Club and with State Emergency Service units from Camden Haven and Wauchope.“It is imperative that we provide our students with real-world experiences such as this to develop their skills and perspectives, and to learn how various emergency response agencies interact and cooperate.”Dr Prue Gonzalez, lecturer in environmental practice in the School of Environmental Sciences at CSU in Port Macquarie, said, “We appreciate the invitation by other agencies to participate, because our paramedicine and outdoor recreation and ecotourism students have similar needs to practice risk assessments and first aid in outdoor environments.”Mr Ebbs and Dr Gonzalez attended the exercise to observe and provide feedback to students.The emergency training exercise commenced at 10am on Sunday 2 September at North Haven Beach, near Laurieton.

* Resources law focuses on environment, cultural heritage and sustainable development * Laws to protect the built, natural, and Indigenous heritage assets examined * Chifley Home Museum in Bathurst a significant example of legislated cultural protectionThe Charles Sturt University (CSU) Centre for Law and Justice last week hosted a residential school in Bathurst for students studying Resources Law as part of their online law degree.Subject convenor of Resources Law and lecturer in the CSU Centre for Law and Justice Dr Kim Browne said students from Sydney, Wagga Wagga, and the Hunter region engaged with a varied program of lectures and workshops conducted by academics and practitioners in various facets of Resources Law during the three-day residential school in Bathurst.“It was rewarding to see the students respond to legal discussion and debate in focus areas that included the environment, cultural heritage and sustainable development,” Dr Browne said.“A highlight of the residential school was a workshop held at Chifley Home Museum in Bathurst hosted by Bathurst Regional Council.“The visit to Chifley Home was part of the University’s continuing partnership with Bathurst Regional Council and its cultural facilities.“The students were guided on a tour of the former prime minister’s home by Charles Sturt University academic Mr Sam Malloy.“Council’s senior strategic planner Mr Nicholas Murphy presented a talk on heritage protection from a local government perspective.“He outlined various examples in the Bathurst area where local government planning laws protected the built, natural, and Indigenous heritage assets.“The building and collection at the Chifley Home Museum are listed on the NSW State Heritage Register which acts as a significant example of legislated cultural protection.”This year’s residential school program also included academic Ms Ros Vickers from Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory. Ms Vickers lectured on the Northern Territory coal seam gas ‘fracking’ inquiry, Indigenous communities and mining, and international environmental law using case-studies specific to the Northern Territory and the Asia-Pacific Region.Resources Law was developed by Dr Browne in 2015, and is one of two ‘capstone subjects’ that form CSU’s Bachelor of Laws.Find out more about CSU law courses here.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) vets have put their expertise to good use, helping Kooringal High School in Wagga Wagga develop its sheep breeding program.The school’s award-winning Poll Dorset flock now has three new lambs, thanks to an artificial insemination (AI) program made possible by the work of Dr Allan Gunn and post graduate research student Dr Liz Jones from the CSU School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences.Dr Gunn said, “The school wanted to show their agriculture students that advanced reproduction techniques, such as synchronisation and AI, is an option to breeding in both the cattle and sheep industry. The animal reproduction unit from Charles Sturt University had synchronised and bred the school Jersey cow earlier in the year, and then bred the ewes with semen donated by a Poll Dorset stud.“Supporting our regional communities is an important part of the University’s ethos. We are pleased to showcase our expertise and enthusiasm to a new generation of agricultural scientists, to encourage sustainable and welfare friendly production of food in the future.”Kooringal High School agriculture teacher Mr Stephen Reynolds said, “Charles Sturt University has been invaluable for our agricultural department over the last few years with their veterinary skills and a willingness to educate our students about reproduction techniques associated with Artificial Insemination.“This association has been instrumental as a teaching tool for myself and as a learning objective for our senior students. Reproduction techniques are part of the two unit senior agriculture curriculum and this has given students the opportunity to see it first-hand,” Mr Reynolds said.A veterinarian, Dr Jones is studying for her professional doctorate and her research is focused on reproduction in sheep, specifically the impact of a hormone found in the gut of the animals.“Taking part in this program was an opportunity to link the theory with real life practice and to be able to develop my skills in advanced reproductive techniques such as laparoscopic AI,” Dr Jones said.“My research is examining a hormone produced in the gut called GLP-1, in sheep. It is a hormonal signal that suppresses appetite in response to feed intake.“We suspect it also influences reproduction, but very little research has been done on this possible link, and none in ruminants.“A better understanding of this relationship may will shed light on why underfed animals have poorer fertility than those that are well-fed and in good condition.“This research is also of interest to human health, as the obesity epidemic has led to GLP-1-like drugs being used for weight management, including in people of child-bearing age, with little information on its relationship with reproduction and fertility.”Dr Gunn and Dr Jones are members of the Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, a research alliance between CSU and the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).The Veterinary Clinical Centre (VCC) at CSU provides animal reproductive services including semen examination, artificial insemination, embryo transfer and infertility investigations.

An art exhibition drawing on the experiences and research of Charles Sturt University (CSU) students during their recent tour of Japan is now on show in Wagga Wagga.Eleven CSU students from the Faculty of Art and Education led by lecturer Ms Rachel Walls, toured Japan for two weeks in February this year to immerse themselves in an ancient culture while visiting sites with significant relevance to popular media, history and art.“The tour allowed the students to explore and expand their knowledge through research specific to Japan, a culturally challenging location where issues of language and social norms need to be carefully observed,” Ms Walls said.“They learned how to be resourceful, aware and respectful in finding and navigating sites for their research.”The trip introduced the students to Japan as a place and a culture. Students looked into Shinto and Buddhist beliefs, and how these are woven into the fabric of Japanese society, as well as on traditional theatre, crafts, and textiles.“We also learned about the disappearing of intangible cultural heritage, often in the form of traditional crafts.“Students were asked to consider the ‘differences’ presented by a much older country with a history that they wish to preserve, particularly in relation to Australia’s, and Charles Sturt University’s, struggle to rescue Aboriginal language and culture systems,” Ms Walls said.During the tour, the students identified and commenced researching their own topics on Japanese culture and art, something normally reserved for postgraduate studies.“I wanted them to lead their own research, blending both practice and academic methodologies. The exhibition demonstrates their ideas and impressions from Japan.“The exhibition also shows the students’ enthusiastic and creative responses, which are really diverse and demonstrate the wide backgrounds of our students.“The results are outstanding as a synthesis of academic research and creative freedom within a cultural study.”The exhibition is part of their assessment for the tour, which was funded in part by the Federal government’s New Colombo Plan and supported by CSU Global. The exhibition ends on Wednesday 29 August, and is near the HR Gallop Gallery (room 227), Building 21 at CSU in Wagga Wagga.Applications for the next tour to Japan in 2019 are now open to CSU students.

* Free one-hour masterclass will explore process of identifying and analysing Bathurst businesses’ stakeholders * Masterclass will help businesses to develop practical strategies to engage stakeholders with their businessCenWest Innovate will present a free ‘Public Relations Stakeholder Analysis Masterclass’ for business people in Bathurst on Thursday 6 September.The workshop will be presented by Dr Sharon Schoenmaker, the acting Head of the School of Communication and Creative Industries at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst.Prior to joining CSU in 2009, Dr Schoenmaker worked in professional communication practice spanning public relations, organisational communication, and project management. Her research explores the use of social media in interacting with others online.Dr Schoenmaker (pictured) said, “This hour-long masterclass will take participants through the process of identifying and analysing their stakeholders and assist them to develop practical strategies to engage stakeholders with their business.“The session will provide participants with the tools to prioritize existing relationships with stakeholders and identify opportunities to grow their business,” Dr Schoenmaker said.“Local businesses know their customers better than anyone else. This workshop will assist business owners to maximize those interactions with customers to benefit their business.”The ‘Public Relations Stakeholder Analysis Masterclass’ on Thursday 6 September will be held at the Upstairs Startup Hub, Level 1, 203-209 Russell St, Bathurst.Registration is from 8am, for the one-hour masterclass starting 8.30am to conclude at 9.30am.The masterclass is free but participants must register: https://www.facebook.com/events/503503743428939/