Events

Upcoming events at Western Sydney University are listed below.

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• Aug 1
  Who Bleeds Wins Blood Drive

  A battle of the campuses!

  Social events
  A battle of the campuses!

  The SRC have organised a friendly inter-campus competition: the WHO BLEEDS WINS Blood Drive. From now until the 31st of October, staff and students may visit their nearby Red Cross donation centre, and by registering their campus online, or in the Donor Centre when making the donation, Red Cross will be able to tally the total donations for each campus. Last year, Western students and staff saved just short of 300 lives with their donations. We have currently saved collectively over 110 people and we are only in week 3! For more information and to register your campus or make an appointment to donate visit the below website. And remember WHO BLEEDS WINS!

  Thu, 01 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +1000
• Aug 1
  Who Bleeds Wins

  Who Bleeds Wins returns for the third year at Western Sydney University.

  Social events
  Who Bleeds Wins returns for the third year at Western Sydney University.

  This is a cross campus challenge, last years winners, Penrith took home the prize. Can your campus knock them off the leaders board to secure the win?! Visit your local red cross service centre to donate, let them know about the challenge. Let's aim to save over 300 lives together!

  Thu, 01 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +1000
• Sep 3
  Free Student Breakfast

  Free Student Breakfast throughout the semester from 8:30am-10:30am every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

  Social events
  Students
  Free Student Breakfast throughout the semester from 8:30am-10:30am every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

  Free Student Breakfast throughout the semester from 8:30am-10:30am every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

  Tue, 03 Sep 2019 08:30:00 +1000
• Oct 14
  ACIAC Exhibition: Essence, Energy, Spirit

  An exhibition by renowned artist Guan Wei, which showcases the connection between the mind/spirit and body.

  Exhibitions and performances; Social events
  General public
  An exhibition by renowned artist Guan Wei, which showcases the connection between the mind/spirit and body.

  Guan Wei chose the artworks for this exhibition, from his own personal collection, as well as deriving the title for it, Essence, Energy, Spirit, which aptly captures the recurring themes of his art’s practice. Guan Wei is renowned for creating works that interlace imagery from his Chinese heritage, his life experience in Australia and his personal iconography, working across painting, sculpture and installation. The exhibition is comprised of three distinct bodies of work. The series, Return to the Origin contextualises our human journey within the Universe. Images of the human figure are juxtaposed with symbols of the cosmos, deliberately drawn upon ceramics; a material that has been used by humans for thousands of years; to remind the viewer of their relatively brief time in history. Humans are portrayed as being part of nature, but a mere speck within it, when one considers how vast and old the Universe is. The series, Longevity for Beginners explores themes of spiritual and physical balance via imagery of both external and internal views of the human body, drawn from traditional Chinese medicine and qi-gong, as well as his own personal symbolism. The underlying narrative of these paintings suggests the importance of the connection between the mind/spirit and body, and that being in balance with nature is essential for good health and general well-being. The final series, which is Untitled, explores the relationship between the subconscious mind and its effect on our individual perception of our daily reality. Some of these works evoke emotional states of fear, uncertainty, anxiety, pressure, powerlessness and entrapment. A prostrate figure is held precariously by a single thread to a more powerful being; demons and animals are depicted biting or nipping at a heel or eating away at what looks like a heart held in a hand. These paintings are interspersed with others which present a floating head on a bed of clouds, in what seems to be in a state meditation. This series of works suggest to the viewer, that to master their subconscious, spiritual practices and/or exercises can assist in transforming their experience to higher states of consciousness, such as peace, joy and bliss. Ultimately these works by Guan Wei, remind us of the consequences of a fast paced, technology driven, western lifestyle, too full of angst, can be transcended, if we remember our essence, energy and spirit and how to nurture them. Monica McMahon Art Curator Western Sydney University.

  Mon, 14 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +1100
• Oct 15
  On Campus Event - How Hot is our Campus? 21C Project Curiosity Pod: Sustainability Bootcamp

  Urban heat is a major issue for Western Sydney - join us on campus where we investigate how hot the campus is, as well as free food and give-aways.

  academic events; Information sessions
  All Western Students
  Urban heat is a major issue for Western Sydney - join us on campus where we investigate how hot the campus is, as well as free food and give-aways.

  What are our global challenges? Why are we talking about sustainability? Why does it matter? What does this mean for you? What does this mean for the future of Western Sydney? The on campus event is the final stage of the 21C Project Curiosity Pod: The Sustainability Bootcamp. Learn concepts of Sustainable Development and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 through this online, interactive, curiosity pod. The case studies profile inspiring local initiatives and research across Western Sydney that contribute to addressing our global challenges. Then come along and join us for the on campus event! --How to get involved-- Step 1 - Register yourself online to enrol into the Bootcamp by 10th October - westernsydney.edu.au/bootcamp Step 2 - Complete the online Sustainability Bootcamp 21C Curiosity Pod on vUWS. Step 3 - Join us on campus for a fun, hands-on event to investigate urban heat.

  Tue, 15 Oct 2019 12:00:00 +1100
• Oct 17
  ICS Seminar Series

  Personal Logistics: Affect, Aesthetics, Apps.

  Personal Logistics: Affect, Aesthetics, Apps.

  Abstract Logistics, the art and science of getting goods, services, and information to the right place at the right time to maximise profit, has profoundly altered contemporary life in the global north. Logistics usually scale businesses up; but it also scales down, to the lives of individuals, in scheduling events, planning projects, and organising lives. This talk examines the emergent discourse of “personal logistics” across management science, psychology, self-help, and design aesthetics. It shows how terms used in the logistics of global trade, such as resilience, fulfilment, agility, and flow, also create political subjectivities within neoliberalism’s new economies. Guided by mobile apps, workers and consumers are increasingly tasked with managing their own workflow, rebounding from setbacks, shopping broadly and efficiently, and circulating their names and images continuously. How is personal logistics already imagined to create new senses of self and social relations? Biography Susan Zieger (B.A., Dartmouth College, MSc., London Centre for the History of Science, Medicine, and Technology; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley) is Professor of English at the University of California, Riverside and specializes in nineteenth-century British and related literatures and cultures, with an emphasis on the novel, ephemera, and other mass media forms. She has written Inventing the Addict: Drugs, Race, and Sexuality in Nineteenth-Century British and American Literature (University of Massachusetts Press, 2008) and The Mediated Mind: Affect, Ephemera, and Consumerism in the Nineteenth Century (Fordham University Press, 2018). Zieger is currently researching Logistical Life, a reinterpretation of modernity from the point of view of efficient mobility and circulation. In winter and spring 2019, she held a visiting fellowship at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin to support this project. In fall 2019, she will be a visiting professor at the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University, in the Digital Life Research Group. With Nicole Starosielski and Matt Hockenberry, she is editing the volume Assembly Codes: The Logistics of Media, forthcoming from Duke University Press.

  Thu, 17 Oct 2019 11:30:00 +1100
• Oct 17
  On Campus Event - How Hot is our Campus? 21C Project Curiosity Pod: Sustainability Bootcamp

  Urban heat is a major issue for Western Sydney - join us on campus where we investigate how hot the campus is, as well as free food and give-aways.

  academic events; Information sessions
  All Western Staff and Students
  Urban heat is a major issue for Western Sydney - join us on campus where we investigate how hot the campus is, as well as free food and give-aways.

  What are our global challenges? Why are we talking about sustainability? Why does it matter? What does this mean for you? What does this mean for the future of Western Sydney? The on campus event is the final stage of the 21C Project Curiosity Pod: The Sustainability Bootcamp. Learn concepts of Sustainable Development and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 through this online, interactive, curiosity pod. The case studies profile inspiring local initiatives and research across Western Sydney that contribute to addressing our global challenges. Then come along and join us for the on campus event! --How to get involved-- Step 1 - Register yourself online to enrol into the Bootcamp by 10th October - westernsydney.edu.au/bootcamp Step 2 - Complete the online Sustainability Bootcamp 21C Curiosity Pod on vUWS. Step 3 - Join us on campus for a fun, hands-on event to investigate urban heat.

  Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:00:00 +1100
• Oct 17
  Making the City Series - Identity

  What gives identity to cities?

  Conferences and seminars
  What gives identity to cities?

  We all may have multiple identities derived from language, culture, politics, gender, passion, education, employment, skill and taste. With millions of people cities are so complex and diverse that there are infinite combinations of identities. How then can we understand identity at the level of the urban and the architectural? These questions are particularly relevant in Western Sydney: Darug land for more than 40 millennia, radically restructured as British colonial farmland, then Australian surburbia, and now a rapidly urbanising land home to multiple ethnic communities. Can architecture celebrate such diversity? As makers of cities, how can we respectfully acknowledge this complexity and productively engage with it? Does thinking at the level of the city, of the suburb, the neighbourhood and even the individual building allow us to move beyond the inherent conflicts of identity? Can we create models of urbanism which celebrate all of our identities and enable them to support and nourish each other? Join us on October 17 as leaders in the field provide specific examples from practice and research, and share their thoughts in a moderated discussion with event attendees. The 2019 Making the City speaker series is a collection of five events from March to October 2019. Created through a collaboration between Western Sydney University, City of Parramatta, the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences and the NSW Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects, the series examines cultural and design practices that contribute to the quality, amenity, and character of 21st century cities. Drawing upon a broad range of expertise and leadership in the areas of architecture, urban design and planning, arts practice, government, indigenous leadership, and industry, the Speaker Series have foregrounded conversations on the following five topics: culture, resilience, disruption, equity and identity. Events are hosted by the Western Sydney University Architecture Program.

  Thu, 17 Oct 2019 17:45:00 +1100
• Oct 18
  RMC Duntroon v Western (formerly HAC)

  RMC Duntroon will be hosting this year

  Social events
  Students
  RMC Duntroon will be hosting this year

  Western Sydney University - Hawkesbury (formerly Hawkesbury Agricultural College) and the Royal Military College (RMC) Duntroon, have a long history that dates back to 1922 of friendly sporting rivalry, with this year being the 97th edition! RMC Duntroon will be hosting this year.

  Fri, 18 Oct 2019 09:00:00 +1100
• Oct 18
  Social Work & Community Welfare Careers Expo

  The event will connect WSU Social Work & Community Welfare students in all years of study with a wide range of employers in the Human Services sector.

  academic events
  The event will connect WSU Social Work & Community Welfare students in all years of study with a wide range of employers in the Human Services sector.

  Western Sydney University is once again proud to host the highly successful Social Work and Community Welfare Expo. This year's event will connect Western Sydney University Social Work and Community Welfare students in all years of study with a wide range of employers in the Human Services sector. As a student, the Expo will provide a forum for you to hear from graduates about their journey into satisfying work, explore available employment opportunities, allow you to polish up your networking skills in meeting with these employers and help you to explore your own personal career direction and hear about career opportunities more broadly. As an employer, you will be able to raise your organisation's profile through heightening awareness across the WSU campus student and staff communities and have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with potential candidates for current and upcoming job vacancies.

  Fri, 18 Oct 2019 10:00:00 +1100
• Oct 18
  Writing & society Research Centre seminar series

  To move, to touch, to listen - Multisensory Reading of Digital Interfaces.

  academic events; Conferences and seminars
  All welcome
  To move, to touch, to listen - Multisensory Reading of Digital Interfaces.

  The practises of apprehending literature are changing due to digitisation. As texts are published using the multimodal affordances and network capacities offered by digital media, current concepts of literature and the practices of writing and reading shift toward using different semiotic resources, (e.g. language, gesture, images), modalities (e.g. visual, aural, somatic), as well as interaction. The sensorial modes in which reading takes place in this multimodal, literary media landscape change the act of reading itself. Therefore, this article will study the impact of digitisation on audio books and multimedia literary apps with a focus on how perception and the human sensorium in new ways are integral to the reading practices. BIO: Birgitte Stougaard Pedersen is Associate Professor in Aesthetics and Culture at the School of Communication & Culture, Aarhus University. She has written from a phenomenological and ground theoretical perspective and in interdisciplinary contexts on media, rhythm, the voice, aesthetics and meaning theory in the interrelationship between literature and music. Among her publications is Lyd, litteratur og musik: Gestus i kunstoplevelsen (Sound, Literature, and Music: Gesture in the Art Experience, 2008). Between 2006 and 2009 BSP during her post doc worked on Danish rap music as part of a research project supported by the Danish Council for Independent Research (FKK) entitled ‘Rytme, groove og gestik – dansk hip hop mellem det lokale og det globale’ (Rhythm, groove and gesture – Danish hip hop, between the local and the global). She is with co-editor Mads Krogh of Hiphop i Skandinavien (Hip hop in Scandinavia, 2008) and with Jan Hein Hoogstad of Off Beat - Pluralizing Rhythm (Rodopi, 2013). From 2011-2015 she worked with Iben Have on the research project ”The Digital Audiobook - New Medium, New Users, New Literary Experiences? (funded by AU – Ideas) resulting in a number of research articles in well-reputed journals and a monograph at Routledge, Digital Audiobooks: New Media, Users, and Experiences (Routledge, 2016). Has been co-editing Litteratur mellem medier (Literature between Media), Aarhus University Press 2018. Together with Iben Have founder- and editor of the international, peer reviewed online journal SoundEffects, www.soundeffects.dk.

  Fri, 18 Oct 2019 11:00:00 +1100
• Oct 19
  Public Astronomy Night 19 October 2019

  Cosmic Chronicles.

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Exhibitions and performances; Social events
  students, staff, alumni, general public
  Cosmic Chronicles.

  Cosmic Chronicles Professor Fred Watson Are we alone in the universe? Where did the moon come from? How do we know what stars are made of? Could there really be a future in asteroid mining? In Cosmic Chronicles, Fred Watson - Australia's Astronomer-at-Large and bestselling author - explores the hottest topics in space science and astronomy. Includes presentation, short 3D movie, tour of the dome and viewing of the night sky through a range of telescopes (weather permitting). Special 25th anniversary price for this event $5 per person. No Free Passes accepted for this event No transfers to this event Important: Parents/Carers are responsible for and must remain with their children at all times. REGISTRATION FOR THE EVENT VIA OUR WEBSITE IS ESSENTIAL.

  Sat, 19 Oct 2019 20:00:00 +1100
• Oct 21
  School of Social Sciences and Psychology Professorial Lecture: Planning, Politics and Power

  Professorial Lecture: Planning, Politics and Power. Presented by Professor Nicky Morrison, Professor of Planning.

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Meetings
  All
  Professorial Lecture: Planning, Politics and Power. Presented by Professor Nicky Morrison, Professor of Planning.

  Those whose needs are well-articulated and reflected in the city’s broader policy ambition are likely to be included in future planning policy. The needs of others considered ‘less valuable’ to the socio-economic sustainability of a locality may, in turn, be forgone’ (Morrison, 2013) In this presentation, Professor Nicky Morrison explains how the above contention about the UK planning system led her to investigate this question in numerous international settings thereafter. Who are the winners and losers of planning decisions and outcomes? Not only has this quest motivated her academic career but also her advocacy work on behalf of local community groups that have the least voice in planning and housing systems over the world. In 2019, the Royal Town Planning Institute commended Professor Morrison for her leadership and significant contribution to the planning profession. Showcasing her previous work (in the UK, China, and Ghana), Professor Morrison will highlight the challenges that urban planners face in managing economic, social, and environmental priorities and how they reconcile competing stakeholder expectations and conflicting interests. Despite different historical, cultural, and political contexts, she will demonstrate why a common narrative prevails. Speculation over land and real estate opportunities along with rent seeking behaviour that uses the political planning processes to seek private gain are rife in all urban land markets. At the same time, planners are not neutral nor value free. Politics and planning are very much intertwined. Planning rules embody power relations, privileging certain positions and courses of action over others. The stroke of a Planning Minister’s pen and rezoning of land use creates immediate land value uplift, with financial windfalls bestowed on certain stakeholders, whilst others lose out. Professor Morrison will draw on examples of the way that planning policy is used to accommodate the needs of powerful landowners, why economic imperatives invariably take precedence over social and environmental interests, and suggest how academics can advocate for inclusive growth for all. She will offer salient lessons for Western Sydney as it undergoes extensive urban transformation, and explain why this challenge has become her new and critical area of research. BIOGRAPHY: Nicky Morrison is Professor of Planning at Western Sydney University and a Senior Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University. She is a leading academic authority on overcoming barriers to securing affordable housing through the planning system and ways to deliver sustainable communities and inclusive growth through participatory planning practices. Nicky has over 27 years of experience working with interdisciplinary teams on high impact international and UK planning and housing research projects, attracting major competitive external funding from the European Commission, Norwegian, German, UK and local governments, Shelter Homeless Charity and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. She has acted as a strategic advisor to Chinese Ministers as they implemented China’s first Public Housing Act and Amnesty International ‘Housing rights live here’ programme in Africa. Nicky is passionate about developing truly collaborative planning through effective partnerships between government, the private sector, NGOs, and community agencies. She was a long-serving Board member of a UK community housing provider. Nicky serves on Habitat International Editorial Board, WESTIR Ltd Board and the Planning Institute of Australia NSW Judging Panel for Planning Awards for Excellence with the aim of rewarding the next generation of professional planners. RSVP at SSAP-research@westernsydney.edu.au by 11 Oct 2019.

  Mon, 21 Oct 2019 11:00:00 +1100
• Oct 21
  Professorial Lecture: Planning, Politics, and Power with Professor Nicky Morrison

  Professor Nicky Morrison explains how the above contention about the UK planning system led her to investigate this question...

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Meetings
  Researchers and staff, collaborators
  Professor Nicky Morrison explains how the above contention about the UK planning system led her to investigate this question...

  In this presentation, Professor Nicky Morrison explains how the above contention about the UK planning system led her to investigate this question in numerous international settings thereafter. Who are the winners and losers of planning decisions and outcomes? Showcasing her previous work (in the UK, China, and Ghana), Professor Morrison will highlight the challenges that urban planners face in managing economic, social, and environmental priorities and how they reconcile competing stakeholder expectations and conflicting interests.

  Mon, 21 Oct 2019 11:00:00 +1100
• Oct 21
  Research Week 2019: Graduate Research School Event: So you want to build a career in research?

  Are you a Higher Degree Research Candidate looking to build a research career in academia or industry?

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Information sessions; Meetings
  HDR Students and Research Staff
  Are you a Higher Degree Research Candidate looking to build a research career in academia or industry?

  Are you a Higher Degree Research Candidate looking to build a research career in academia or industry? Join us for an interactive discussion with leading academics, alumni and industry partners about what it takes to be successful in the competitive and dynamic research sector. You will also have the opportunity to start work on a career plan that will take you to where you want to go by the end of your candidature.

  Mon, 21 Oct 2019 15:00:00 +1100
• Oct 21
  Research Week 2019: Precincts and Partnerships for Better Health and Wellbeing

  What does an effective medical precinct look like? What does it do? How can a precinct engage service users and the community more broadly?

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Meetings
  Researchers and staff
  What does an effective medical precinct look like? What does it do? How can a precinct engage service users and the community more broadly?

  Join us in the morning and find out about how successful partnerships and precincts operate. Be part of the discussion with community, clinical, academic and industry leaders and have your say. In the afternoon, focus switches to specific areas of partnership – Neuroscience, Value-based health care, Musculoskeletal Health and Mental Health.

  Mon, 21 Oct 2019 16:30:00 +1100
• Oct 22
  Research Week 2019: People Value: Engaging Western Sydney University’s ‘Greatest Asset’ through Gender Equity

  Our keynote speaker Professor Sharon Bell (DVC Strategy & Planning) reminded us that people are academia’s greatest asset...

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Information sessions; Training and skill upgrade
  Staff and researchers, HDR students
  Our keynote speaker Professor Sharon Bell (DVC Strategy & Planning) reminded us that people are academia’s greatest asset...

  At last year’s SAGE Research Week event, our keynote speaker Professor Sharon Bell (DVC Strategy & Planning) reminded us that people are academia’s greatest asset. This year we consider how we might institute strategies and ways of thinking at Western Sydney University that value the whole person as we strive for gender equity: "People Value: Engaging Our Greatest Asset through Gender Equity". An opening address by Associate Professor Kate Huppatz (Sociology, Western Sydney University), “Gender and Labour in Higher Education: What is at Stake?” will offer important insights into the key gender issues arising across our sector. The opening address will be followed by an engaging presentation, "Gender Equity Matters: Our Status and Our Vision", by SAGE Academic Lead Professor Janice Aldrich-Wright and SAGE Project Coordinator Dr Kieryn McKay. This presentation will give detail of the University's submission for Athena SWAN Bronze Award and will map the commitments and objectives laid out by the University's four-year SAGE Action Plan (2019-2023). A Gender Equity Showcase of initiatives underway at Western Sydney University will be held throughout morning tea, which will be provided. The event will culminate with a thought-provoking keynote address by superstar academic Professor Cordelia Fine, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Melbourne. Professor Fine's feature presentation is titled "Women's Value: Beyond the Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion". Cordelia is an academic psychologist and one of Australia’s foremost gender scholars. She has been hailed “a brilliant feminist critic of the neurosciences” (Times HES) and won the Edinburgh Medal 2018 for her work in challenging gender bias in science and for her contributions to public debates around gender equality. Her most recent book, Testosterone Rex (2017), won the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2017 and was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize 2018. All sessions will provide time for audience Q&As, expertly Chaired by DVC (Research & Innovation) Professor Deborah Sweeney.

  Tue, 22 Oct 2019 09:30:00 +1100
• Oct 22
  Research Week 2019: Sustainability in Property - The Smart Way into the Future

  Come, listen and learn from educators and industry experts regarding the ways sustainability and standards are addressed by the property industry...

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Meetings
  Collaborators staff and researchers
  Come, listen and learn from educators and industry experts regarding the ways sustainability and standards are addressed by the property industry...

  The sustainability goals and standards for our built in environment are changing fast. Further, communities, investors and the government are demanding improvements in the physical world around us for better environmental and societal outcomes across society. The move towards green star rated buildings in Australia is seen as an opportunity to reduce carbon pollution and create healthier places to work. By investing in innovation and refurbishment to create green buildings, we create jobs, drive innovation and cleaner greener cities. Come, listen and learn from educators and industry experts regarding the various ways sustainability and standards are addressed by the property industry.

  Tue, 22 Oct 2019 09:30:00 +1100
• Oct 22
  Research Week 2019: Research Impact Competition

  Early and mid-career academics have five minutes to present, in layman’s terms, the positive impact of their research...

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Exhibitions and performances; Training and skill upgrade
  HDR Students, staffa, researchers, collaborators
  Early and mid-career academics have five minutes to present, in layman’s terms, the positive impact of their research...

  The Research Impact Competition showcases research from across the University's four research themes to an audience of external stakeholders, staff and students. Nine schools and four institutes have each selected a researcher to compete in the competition. The presenters will each give a 5-minute research impact presentation using only one powerpoint slide to represent their thorough research. In preparation for the competition, researchers will consider their research in terms of current and future real world mpact and explain the benefits of their research to a general audience. Please come along to this insighful event and learn what an exciting impact Western is having on the world!

  Tue, 22 Oct 2019 14:30:00 +1100
• Oct 23
  Research Week 2019: Future Cities: Urban Living Futures Theme Day

  Western Sydney is changing rapidly. But what is the state of urban research on the region?

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Meetings; Training and skill upgrade
  Researchers, staff, HDR students
  Western Sydney is changing rapidly. But what is the state of urban research on the region?

  Western Sydney is changing rapidly. But what is the state of urban research on the region? This event explores current WSU research on themes such as: cultural infrastructure affordable and smart housing and construction methods cybersecurity sustainable manufacturing and strategic planning for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.

  Wed, 23 Oct 2019 09:00:00 +1100
• Oct 24
  Research Week 2019: Environment & Sustainability Theme Day: Research Symposium on Water

  Water has been a key topic in Environment and Sustainability. There are many critical issues around water facing our world, nation and communities.

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Meetings
  Collaborators, staff, researchers
  Water has been a key topic in Environment and Sustainability. There are many critical issues around water facing our world, nation and communities.

  Water has been a key topic in Environment and Sustainability. There are many critical issues around water facing our world, nation and communities. This symposium provides a platform for developing a dialog between local government, industries and WSU researchers to address this grand challenge around water. The program includes invited presentations from key industries on water, local government, government grant facilitators, and Western Sydney Univesity researchers, along with intensive group discussions focusing on the critical issues on water including: Urban design for water management Water harvesting/Water recycle and reuse Water quality and Wastewater treatment Water-related ecosystems (River, Wetland, Mountains, etc.) Water culture and sociology Water policy and law Water-related education.

  Thu, 24 Oct 2019 09:30:00 +1100
• Oct 24
  ICS Seminar Series

  Affect, Emotion and Transcultural Connections.

  Conferences and seminars
  Affect, Emotion and Transcultural Connections.

  Affect, K-Pop Fandom, and Social Media in Vietnam My thesis examines the so-called ‘Korean Wave’ within the local context of Vietnam. I look into fans’ reception of a South Korean television drama and, especially, of South Korean popular music (K-Pop) that is significantly involved with social media such as YouTube and Facebook. This thesis helps to shed light on the dynamics of the Wave as a transnational phenomenon, from a local perspective. In this paper that is from the thesis, I inspect K-Pop fans’ affective labour as part of what is increasingly conceptualised as the ‘affective fabric’ of social-media-based fan communities, in an affective economy. I particularly analyse the frenzy boosting of views of YouTube music videos, streaming of digital songs, and voting on digital music charts that were organised by fans of Big Bang, a K-Pop boy band. This paper reveals how affect works through the fabric of globalised social media platforms in the making of the transnational fandom; and what it means for both fan communities and the capitalist music industry. “This is hurting us!’: Emotive and Affective Responses to Visitor Behaviour in Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park Embodiment, affect and emotion are increasingly recognised as central to the way that heritage is created, performed and experienced, in place. This is particularly relevant to places of contested heritage, such as Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, a World Heritage site of significant international and domestic tourist visitation, that holds specific meanings for the Traditional Custodians, the Anangu, but is also regarded as a marker of identity by non-Anangu Australians. The climb of Uluru, which is soon to close, has long been a symbol of these contested meanings. That visitors and Anangu have strong embodied emotional responses to this issue emerged in onsite research conducted by the author in May 2019. The offence that the climb causes Anangu was downplayed by some visitors, while for others, intention to climb was rationalized by race hatred. Other visitors expressed strong concern about this failure to respect Anangu wishes, finding the climb and other disrespectful behaviour such as photography of sensitive sites shocking and shameful. The strength of their affective, embodied and emotional reactions were unanticipated, raising broader questions about the prevalence of white shame and guilt in the post-colonial Australian context. Biographies Ha Hoang is a PhD candidate at the Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University. Before commencing her doctoral study in Sydney, Ha taught undergraduate courses at School of Journalism and Communication, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Her research interests include transnational flows of popular cultures, digital cultures, and youth cultures in relation to social media, in East and South-East Asia. Vanessa Whittington is a Doctoral Candidate with the Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University. She was awarded a Master’s Degree in Museum and Heritage Studies by the University of Sydney in 2017. She has a Master of Arts (Hons) in Women’s Studies/ Interdisciplinary Studies (UNSW) and a Bachelor of Arts with majors in History and Political Science (ANU). She has previously worked in senior policy and research roles for government and non-government agencies with a human services, social justice and social policy focus.

  Thu, 24 Oct 2019 11:30:00 +1100
• Oct 24
  Research Week: Exhibition Opening: "Essence, Energy, Spirit" by Guan Wei

  Currently exhibited at ACIAC Gallery is a series of artworks, called Essence, Energy, Spirit by the renowned Chinese Australian artist Guan Wei.

  academic events; Exhibitions and performances
  Friends of ACIAC
  Currently exhibited at ACIAC Gallery is a series of artworks, called Essence, Energy, Spirit by the renowned Chinese Australian artist Guan Wei.

  Thursday, 24 October 6.00 pm Australia-China Institute for Arts and Culture Foyer of Building EA EA.G.03 Parramatta South Campus Victoria Rd Rydalmere NSW 2116 The Australia-China Institute for Arts and Culture (ACIAC) is committed to enhancing cultural exchange between Australia, China, and the Sinosphere. As a part of its mission in research, graduate studies, international collaborations, and community engagement, ACIAC provides a unique platform for Chinese and Australian artists to collaborate and exchange views through exhibitions. Currently exhibited at ACIAC Gallery is a series of artworks, called Essence, Energy, Spirit by the renowned Chinese Australian artist Guan Wei. The exhibition will be officially opened by the Vice-Chancellor and President of Western Sydney University, Professor Barney Glover AO on 24 October. The exhibition interlaces imagery from Guan Wei’s Chinese heritage, his life experience in Australia and his personal iconography. It reminds us of the consequences of a fast-paced, technology-driven, western lifestyle, which can be transcended if we remember our essence, energy and spirit and how to nurture them. To be opened by Professor Barney Glover AO, Vice-Chancellor and President, Western Sydney University. Guest Speaker: Dr Geoff Raby AO,Chair, ACIAC Advisory Board, Former Australian Ambassador to China.

  Thu, 24 Oct 2019 18:00:00 +1100
• Oct 25
  Research Week 2019: Research Creation Showcase

  A celebration of research.

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Exhibitions and performances
  WSU staff, postgraduate and HDR students, industry guests and the community
  A celebration of research.

  The Research Creations Showcase will be the fifth time that the research practices of the postgraduate students and academic staff of the School Humanities and Communication Arts, along with colleagues from the Institute of Culture and Society, the Writing and Society Research Centre, and the Digital Humanities Research Group, are showcased in exhibition and lightning presentations as part of Western Sydney University’s Research Week. For the first time, the event will be held at the Janice Reid Pavilion on the Parramatta South campus, and a selection of work from this event will be exhibited at the Female Orphan School later in 2019, curated by Monica McMahon. In another first, the event will host the presentation of the inaugural School Researcher of the Year Awards which will celebrate quality research in three categories of Traditional research, Practice-led/Creative Practice Research, and Early Career Research. We present the showcase again in concert with a Creative Industries Forum. The event includes lunch and Canapés/drinks.

  Fri, 25 Oct 2019 10:00:00 +1100
• Oct 25
  Research Week: Indigenous Research Forum

  All interested in Australia’s First People are invited to share their work in the view of building a collective body of Indigenous Research.

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Social events
  Staff students researchers
  All interested in Australia’s First People are invited to share their work in the view of building a collective body of Indigenous Research.

  Friday, 25 October 1.00 pm – 7.00 pm Building EG, Ground Floor Room 04 (EG.G.04 - Rec Hall) Parramatta South Campus Victoria Rd Rydalmere NSW 2116 All Indigenous and non-Indigenous academics and Higher Degree research students that are undertaking research related to Australia’s First People are invited to share their work in the view of building a collective body of Indigenous Research at Western Sydney University. Importantly, the forum is designed to provide valuable networking opportunities and foster opportunities for connection and collaboration. The event will consist of a keynote presentation by Professor Gawaian Bodkin-Andrews. Following this, anyone undertaking Indigenous related research at Western will have the opportunity to present their research in 5 minutes using only 5 slides. The event will then conclude with drinks and canapés.

  Fri, 25 Oct 2019 13:00:00 +1100
• Nov 12
  25th ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology

  The annual international Symposium on Virtual Reality Software & Technology (VRST 2019) is coming to Australia, hosted by Western Sydney University.

  academic events; Conferences and seminars; Exhibitions and performances
  The annual international Symposium on Virtual Reality Software & Technology (VRST 2019) is coming to Australia, hosted by Western Sydney University.

  Do you use Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality in your research? Are you interested in this disruptive technology? The call for papers, posters, and demos for VRST 2019 is now open. For the first time, the annual international Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology will be held in Australia this year at Western Sydney University’s Parramatta City Campus 1PSQ from 12 to 15 November 2019, with a special track on applied research in the field of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). VRST 2019 has confirmed an impressive line-up of international and local VR/AR keynote speakers including Timoni West, Director of XR Research at Unity Technologies; and Mark Walsh, an animator and director who worked on many classic Pixar Animation Studio films such as Toy Story, Ratatouille, and Finding Nemo. The VRST 2019 conference is for anyone with an interest in the latest VR/AR/XR research, news and technologies – submit your research papers, demos and posters now! Paper submissions are due by 23:59pm on 19 July, 2019: https://vrst.acm.org/vrst2019/submissions/

  Tue, 12 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +1100
• Nov 19
  Academic Literacy Workshop

  Free 2 and 4-day Academic Literacy Workshops available in November 2019.

  Training and skill upgrade
  Student
  Free 2 and 4-day Academic Literacy Workshops available in November 2019.

  The 2-day workshop develops essential literacy skills such as essay writing, critical analysis, researching, and referencing and will be available at Parramatta CBD and Bankstown campuses. The 4-day workshop covers the essentials of the 2-day workshop, plus note-taking, reading academic texts, time management, and the essay writing process, plus it allows for more tutor feedback. This is available at Parramatta CBD campus. Both the 2 and 4-day workshops run from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm each day.

  Tue, 19 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +1100
• May 1
  Sculpture Award and Exhibition 2020

  1-31 May 2020

  Exhibitions and performances
  Open to the public
  1-31 May 2020

  The Western Sydney Sculpture Award and Exhibition is a biennial competition and exhibition hosted by Western Sydney University, on the stunning grounds of the Campbelltown campus. The 2020 Exhibition will be held 1-31 May. Prizes in the 2020 Western Sydney University Sculpture Award and Exhibition include: - Western Sydney University Acquisitive Sculpture Award - valued up to $30,000 - Landcom People's Choice Award - $5,000 (non-acquisitive) - Janice Reid Site Specific Sculpture Award - $5,000 (non-acquisitive) Entries close on Friday, 6 September 2019, and finalists will be announced on virtualtours.westernsydney.edu.au on Tuesday, 1 October 2019. The Sculpture Award & Exhibition aims to establish closer links between the university, artists and the community to provide a valuable educational and cultural resource for the region and to enhance the campus environment for teaching and learning. Each year, the Award attracts significant talent from across Australia and overseas. For more information, visit virtualtours.westernsydney.edu.au/sculpture-award

  Fri, 01 May 2020 00:00:00 +1000