Engagement

Call for abstracts now open for DocFest 2025

Jennifer Podesta Conference, Engagement, Research Impact, Researcher Development 0 Comment

DocFest is our annual tri-faculty virtual conference for graduate research.

26-30 May 2025

DocFest25 theme: Developing Next Generation Researchers

The inspiration for this year’s theme comes from the Charles Sturt University Research Strategy.

The researchers of today step into an everchanging world, in which opportunity abounds, and paths are forged into new and unknown territories. Undertaking your higher degree needs to deliver you into this world with a range of transferable skills that will ensure you are ready to face the challenges and take up the opportunities that present.

Who is DocFest for?

DocFest is for anyone interested in graduate research but especially if you are:

  • A graduate research candidate
  • An Early Career Researcher
  • An HDR Supervisor
  • Research support staff
  • An Honours student
  • Interested in doing a PhD in the future

Call Abstracts for Oral Presentations and e-Posters

As well as a rich program of keynote speakers, expert panels and workshops, HDR candidates, supervisors and research and professional staff are invited to submit abstracts for oral presentations or e-posters in the following themes: Read more

Post Graduate representative positions on University Boards and Committees

Jennifer Podesta Engagement, Your Voice 0 Comment

We have a number of Postgraduate student representative positions vacant on many of the University Boards and Committees.

This information and application form is available on this webpage – https://www.csu.edu.au/current-students/uni-life/leadership/representation/university-committees-and-boards

What Academic Student Representatives do

  • contribute to the student learning experience by suggesting ideas, solutions and improvements
  • represent student needs and raise issues of concern
  • gather opinions and views of students and provide student focused feedback
  • attend meetings of the committee or board they are a member of. This involves being prepared for these meetings by reading agendas, submitting agenda items and contributing in the meeting discussions
  • participate in professional development and training

Read more

Striving Toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals – 2023 Report

Jennifer Podesta Engagement, Research Impact, Research Practice, Sustainability 0 Comment

Charles Sturt University has again delivered positive impacts towards the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals showcased in the 2023 edition of Charles Sturt University’s SDG report.

Enhancing the social, environmental, and economic wellbeing through our research, education, and community engagement is an important way we can meet community needs while also working towards achieving the UN Goals.

As Australia’s leading regional University, we strive to inspire our students, staff, and community by shaping a brighter future. The 2023 edition of our SDG report is no exception, sharing impactful achievements from across our whole University community.

The report contains inspiring stories, staff and student profiles, and examples of positive outcomes arising from the commitment of Charles Sturt’s staff and students.

Good news – staff and students are invited to submit success stories via the Sustainability at Charles Sturt website to showcase your impactful work for future report editions.

`Seeing Like A Researcher: Masterclass 10 Anna Grocholsky, Director Commercialisation Pathways

Jennifer Podesta Engagement, Innovation, Research Impact 0 Comment

We are excited to have Anna Grocholsky, Director Commercialisation Pathways join us for Session 10: Research IMPACT: Seeing it like a researcher.

Anna is a successful strategist, negotiator and intellectual property specialist. With a materials science background she broadened her qualifications through management, creative problem solving, law and business. Anna is a Harvard Business School Alumni, a registered trademarks attorney and is one of a handful of Australians with the attainment of being a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP) + Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP).

Her passion is curating research generating products and services that solve problems that are really needed to be solved.

Anna joined Charles Sturt University as their inaugural Director, Commercialisation Pathways helping all faculties and institutes. Systems, processes, awareness and advice is key. Anna has already brought in commercialisation income (to be shared with the research team), set up the IP and Commercialisation Governance Panel (IPCGP) rolled out the Commercialisation Pathways Operational Plan (Framework), launched a few webpages of information, resources and an opportunities page for CSU’s innovations to be marketed to investors / donors / mentors and helped numerous teams. Read more

‘Stories behind the Research’ podcast – Michael Elwan

Jennifer Podesta Engagement, Research Impact, Your Voice 0 Comment

In the latest ‘Stories Behind the Research’ podcast, Michael Elwan shares how personal tragedy shaped his journey into mental health advocacy.

With a profound sense of responsibility and a passion for change, PhD candidate Michael has turned his experiences into a commitment to advancing mental health awareness through both academic and professional work.

In this engaging episode, Michael shares his personal insights and introduces his impactful research on ‘Lived Experience Leadership in Mental Health’.

“If we are in the business of serving people with mental illnesses, then we should not only listen to what they want, but we should actually have them in leadership roles, to direct the organisation, to direct the government, to direct commissioning bodies…”

Listen to Michael now

Find all previous podcasts

Bite-sized AI Lessons To Make You Think (and Maybe Smile)

Brooke Winnel Engagement, Excellence, Latest News, Research Impact , 0 Comment

AI conversations: Exploring the human-AI frontier

Imagine stepping onto the shores of an uncharted island. That’s precisely where we find ourselves in the realm of AI. There are no comprehensive maps or well-worn paths to follow. Instead, we’re all explorers in this new territory, and each interaction with AI is an opportunity for discovery.

The Library is stepping onto this frontier by launching a new series of quick AI lessons on our GenAI LibGuide.

These “AI conversations”:https://libguides.csu.edu.au/generativeAI/aiconversations are designed to get you thinking about how we interact with AI tools like Copilot.

What to expect:

  • Short, digestible lessons
  • A mix of practical tips and thought-provoking ideas
  • Some rough edges (just Carlo in his office!)

Topics include embracing AI creativity, the power of asking “why?”, and how to be a collaborative problem solver with AI.

This is very much a work in progress. Your feedback, ideas for new lessons, and experiences using these concepts are all incredibly welcome.

Check it out: AI conversations: Learning journey https://libguides.csu.edu.au/generativeAI/aiconversations

‘Gene therapy to suppress cancer tumours’ thesis a 3MT winner

Brooke Winnel Engagement, Excellence, Latest News, Research Impact , 0 Comment

A science PhD candidate exploring protein gene therapy to suppress cancer tumours won the recent Charles Sturt University finals of the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT)© competition held at the University in Port Macquarie.

  • A medical science PhD research thesis has won the finals of the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT)© competition held at Charles Sturt University in Port Macquarie in August

A science PhD candidate exploring protein gene therapy to suppress cancer tumours won the recent Charles Sturt University finals of the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT)© competition held at the University in Port Macquarie.

Ms Sarah Esmaeili (pictured left), a PhD student in the Charles Sturt School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences in the Faculty of Science and Health, won the 3MT finals for her presentation ‘p53: A Target for Cancer Gene Therapy’.

The 3MT competition challenges university PhD students to present their research in just three minutes with a balance of technical depth and public accessibility while using only one projected PowerPoint graphic.

Winning the Charles Sturt 3MT finals means Ms Esmaeili will represent the University in the Asia-Pacific 3MT finals to be held online.

“Winning the Charles Sturt University 3MT competition is an incredible honour,” Ms Esmaeili said. “I’m thrilled to represent our University at the Asia-Pacific 3MT finals.

“I’m deeply passionate about my research and grateful for the opportunity to share it on a larger stage.”

Ms Esmaeili’s research thesis explores the ‘p53’ protein family, which includes p53, p63, and p73, which plays a pivotal role as transcription factors involved in regulating various cellular processes, particularly tumour suppression.

“My research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the nuclear – as in cell nucleus – import mechanisms of the p53 protein family, which could potentially pave the way for the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting nuclear import,” she said.

Read more

Listening to your voice

Jennifer Podesta Candidate support, Engagement, Services, Your Voice , , , 0 Comment

2024 Helping you to get great outcomes from your Higher Degree by Research and to have a rewarding and enriching experience at Charles Sturt is central to the work of the Graduate Research team.

Hearing feedback from you, our students, about that experience is important to us. We love to hear when we get things right for you but equally important to us is hearing how we can do things better.

One of the ways we do this is with our annual Graduate Research Experience Survey (GRES). The GRES is offered to all enrolled HDR candidates in late October each year and asks for your feedback about a range of key areas related to your HDR program. GO TO THE SURVEY

Read more

SSAF charges in 2025

Jennifer Podesta Candidate support, Engagement, Services 0 Comment

Starting in 2025, all HDR students, both new and continuing, will be responsible for the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), regardless of whether their course fees are covered by a scholarship. For our continuing HDR students already on scholarships, the SSAF will be applicable from the 202530 term, with the student being responsible for this payment.

This change is an important step towards enhancing the quality of services and amenities available to all students, ensuring a richer and more supportive academic experience!

We’ll be posting more information over the coming months about how you can get involved in developing projects that can apply for SSAF support.

In 2025, the fee will help provide non-academic support, services and facilities for students, such as IT services, Careers and Skills support, Student Wellbeing Support Line and Counselling, Orientation and much more.

SSAF can also change each year, so to keep up-to-date with SSAF information, please visit this link.

When it comes to paying SSAF, you can either pay upfront at the start of each session or you can defer SSAF with an SA-HELP loan as long as you are eligible. This will put your SSAF onto your HECS (if you have one!).

To do this, look for ‘Request eCAF’ under the ‘My Account’ tab on your student portal.

Here are just a few projects that have been SSAF funded:

  • Careers and Skills Festival
  • Free food and stationary stations for students in the Library
  • Student Wellbeing Support Line
  • Orientation Events
  • Elite Athlete and Performer Program
  • International student support
  • LinkedIn Learning
  • Netball Courts Lighting on Wagga Wagga campus
  • Inclusive and Accessible Pathways Diggings Oval
  • Common Area at Bathurst Campus
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