Faculty of Science and Health
The Symposium is a great opportunity to extend peer networks and to discover the research that is being undertaken by our Higher Degree by Research and Honours students in the Faculty of Science and Health.
The 2025 Symposium will be conducted as a hybrid event this year on the 18th and 19th November, 2025. It will provide HDR and Honours students an opportunity to showcase their research to their peers in an online and in person collegial conference setting.
There will be opportunities to come together in person to meet with staff and students in a supportive environment over on-campus morning/afternoon teas and lunches.
Students will have the opportunity to present a 10 minute seminar on their research, suitable for a non-specialist audience. This will be followed by 5 minutes of question time. Prizes for the best and runner up HDR and Honours seminars will be awarded to be used for professional development.
A selection of posters will be presented online and in person digitally over the days. These will also compete for prizes to be used for professional development.
For more information please email FOSH-Ops-Admin@csu.edu.au
Any registrations queries please email FOSH-Ops-Admin@csu.edu.au
Tuesday 18th & Wednesday 19th November 2025
Location: Hybrid - Wagga Wagga and Online (please see the program for online zoom links)
Download the 2025 program here!
(Best opens in Edge, browsing history may need to be cleared in Chrome)
VIEW POSTERS HERE will be made live Tuesday 18th November
| Time | Activity | Room/Stream |
|---|---|---|
8:30am – 9:00am | In Person Registration | Foyer of Convention Centre, Wagga |
9:00am – 9:20am | Introduction by A/Prof Samantha Jakimowicz, Sub Dean Graduate Studies with Welcome to Country by Luke Wighton | A |
9:20am – 9:45am | Guest speaker Professor Sarah O’Shea, Dean Graduate Research | A |
9:50am – 10:50am | Student presentations – Session 1 Please see presentation schedule below for stream links | A, B & C |
11:05am – 11:30am
| Break | Foyer of Convention Centre, Wagga |
11:30am – 1:05pm | Student presentations – Session 2 Please see presentation schedule below for stream links | A, B & C |
1:05pm – 2:15pm | Lunch Break | Foyer of Convention Centre, Wagga |
2:15pm – 3:30pm | Student presentations – Session 3 Please see presentation schedule below for stream links | A, B & C |
3:30pm – 3:40pm | Mini Break | |
3:40pm – 4:35pm | Student presentations – Session 4 Please see presentation schedule below for stream links | A, B & C |
4:35pm | First Day of Events Concluded |
| Time | Activity | Stream |
|---|---|---|
9am – 9:45am
| Welcome to Day 2: Panel Discussion with Prof Marta Hernandez, Prof Jane Quinn, Dr Martin Pal, A/Prof Sandra Savocchia and Prof Megan Smith, hosted by A/Prof Samantha Jakimowicz | A |
9:50am – 11:05am | Student presentations – Session 1 Please see presentation schedule below for stream links | A, B & C |
11:05am – 11:30am | Break | Foyer of Convention Centre, Wagga |
11:30am – 1:05pm | Student presentations – Session 2 Please see presentation schedule below for stream links | A, B & C |
1:05pm – 2pm | Lunch Break | Foyer of Convention Centre, Wagga |
2pm – 3:15pm | Student presentations – Session 3 Please see presentation schedule below for stream links | A, B & C |
3:15pm – 3:30pm | Closing Comments Thank you for joining the symposium | A |
9:00am – 9:20am |
Introduction and Welcome to Country | ||
9:20am – 9:45am | Guest speaker Professor Sarah O’Shea, Dean Graduate Research | ||
Day 1 Session 1 | Room/Stream A Meeting ID: 654 8571 8871 | Room/Stream B Meeting ID: 676 2600 7866 | Room/Stream C Meeting ID: 679 0893 0071 |
Chair | IP: Jodie Brabin | IP: Monjurul Islam | IP: Miss Saba |
In Person Assessor | Dr Randy Adjonu | A/Prof Thiru Vanniasinkam | Prof Sandra Savocchia |
Online Assessor | Dr Edward Anyasodor | Prof Kerrie Doyle | Dr Kristina Griffin |
9:50am – 10:10am | IP Dilki Adikari Arachchige PhD Candidate From diet to cognition: the role of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) in piglet learning and memory | IP Keira Brown PhD Candidate Presence and impact of parasites in Australian invasive species and native marsupials | IP Tom Dicks PhD Candidate Understanding the effects of fontan surgery by metabolomics: does it work? |
10:10am – 10:30am | IP Tewodros Jember Comparative analysis of PCR-high-resolution melt curve (HRM) and DNA sequencing for the identification of bacteria causing bovine mastitis | IP Tiarna Scerri PhD Candidate Emerging biotechnology in bovine mastitis treatment: farmer perspectives and preferences | OL Mitchell Lenehan PhD Candidate Woodland wellbeing: the benefits of woodland management |
10:30am – 10:50am | IP Jordan Bathgate PhD Candidate Quantifying the shift in Australian spring and winter wheat traits and the link to increased grain yields | OL Pradeep Rai PhD Candidate The balancing act: quantifying farmers’ value-based sustainability choices | OL Letro PhD Candidate Modelling habitat suitability and conflict risk for tigers and dholes in Bhutan using species distribution models |
10:50am – 11:05am | IP Marcos Andres Sodupe PhD Candidate Evaluation of the pathogenicity of cryptovalsa ampelina isolates collected from vineyards | IP Lachlan Cope Honours Student An investigation into perioperative surgical complications within CSU spey and neuter clinic between 2019-2025 |
|
11:05am – 11:30am |
Break (25min) | ||
Day 1 Session 2 | Room/Stream A Meeting ID: 654 8571 8871 | Room/Stream B Meeting ID: 676 2600 7866 | Room/Stream C Meeting ID: 679 0893 0071 |
Chair | OL: Francette Geraghty-Dusan | IP: Calvin Wong | OL: Patience Moyo |
In Person Assessor | Dr Asad (MD) Asaduzzaman | Dr Boris Budiono | Joanne Ashnest |
Online Assessor | Dr Jed Brown | Prof Kerrie Doyle | A/Prof Paul Humphries |
11:30am – 11:50am | OL Sam Sheridan PhD Candidate Rethinking physical readiness in paramedicine education | IP Jaini Fakhrudin PhD Candidate Aerobic and flooded incubation of mo-enriched biochar: a study of molybdenum dynamics | IP Jodie Brabin PhD Candidate Engage, empower, explore: participatory action research in small island healthcare settings |
11:50am – 12:10pm | OL Tana Cuming PhD Candidate Re-orienting a PhD project to centre Aboriginal research | IP Belal Hossain PhD Candidate Modelling climate change impact on rainfed rice production in northwest Bangladesh | OL Ann-Marie Brown PhD Candidate Enablers and barriers for high school students pursuing nursing as a career in Tasmania |
12:10pm – 12:30pm | OL Jordan Treloar PhD Candidate Exploring the lived experiences of Australian sports fans and their interactions with the supercars championship | IP Mariam Khanam PhD Candidate Impact of summer rainfall variation on bacterial diversity in native salt-affected soils | OL Ash Gallagher PhD Candidate Towards safer practice: predicting and preventing injury in paramedics |
12:30pm – 12:50pm | OL Caitlin Slaney PhD Candidate The multifaceted nature of community participation for children with communication support needs and their parents | IP Villy Kotevski PhD Candidate The potential of Australian macroalgae in wound healing | OL Wei Wang PhD Candidate Sustaining the health information management profession in a transforming health system: a normative approach |
12:50pm - 1:05pm | OL Setognal Aychiluhm PhD Candidate Central obesity and its association with youth physical and mental health: evidence from the Australian national health survey | OL Luke Marks PhD Candidate The lived experience of leadership practice among advanced practice nurses in regional New South Wales: a hermeneutic phenomenological study | |
1:05pm – 2:15pm |
Lunch Break (1hr 10 min) | ||
Day 1 Session 3 | Room/Stream A Meeting ID: 654 8571 8871 | Room/Stream B Meeting ID: 676 2600 7866 | Room/Stream C Meeting ID: 679 0893 0071 |
Chair | IP: Ahmed Ishtiaque | IP: Jodie Brabin | OL: Sam Sheridan |
In Person Assessor | Dr Leena Awawdeh | Dr Andreia Schineanu | A/Prof Samantha Jakimowicz |
Online Assessor | Dr Toufique Soomro | A/Prof Pauletta Irwin | Dr Vivian Isaac |
2:15pm – 2:35pm | IP Yogita Sharma PhD Candidate Modulating the nutritional profile of sorghum through germination | OL Anais Blacklock PhD Candidate Assessing vegetation change and disturbance regimes in coastal headland ecosystems of the New South Wales (NSW) Mid-North Coast (MNC) | IP Nazia Rahman PhD Candidate Mechanistic insights into adenoviral nuclear import mediated by fiber-importin binding |
2:35pm – 2:55pm | IP Milad Kazemi PhD Candidate Optimisation of saponification method for simultaneous quantification of tocopherols and phytosterols in canola oil refining by-products | OL Shahin Solgi PhD Candidate Future viticulture irrigation demand under climate change | IP Tayla Price Honours Student Evaluation of creatinine clearance in horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy |
2:55pm – 3:15pm | IP Md Rahmatuzzaman Rana PhD Candidate Impact of prior legume crops on wheat flour protein composition and dough quality | OL Maddison Kersting Honours Student Perceptions and practices of veterinarians regarding diagnosis and treatment of acute pancreatitis in domestic canines | OL Tanvir Saikat PhD Candidate Elucidating the structures of nucleoprotein-phosphoprotein complexes for the development of inhibitors against high-risk paramyxoviruses |
3:15pm - 3:30pm | IP Mamun Kabir PhD Candidate Effect of helicobacter pylori acquisition on gut microbiota alteration and cognitive development in children in Bangladesh | IP Calvin Wong PhD Candidate Development of a soil coring-modelling approach to better map grapevine root distribution in cover cropped vineyards | IP Teagan Colless Honours Student The effects of oral rehydration solution on rumen pH and blood glucose in feed restricted ewes |
3:30pm – 3:40pm |
Break (10 min) | ||
Day 1 Session 4 | Room/Stream A Meeting ID: 654 8571 8871 | Room/Stream B Meeting ID: 676 2600 7866 | Room/Stream C Meeting ID: 679 0893 0071 |
Chair | OL: Farjana Haque | IP: Tegan Colless | OL: Milikiyas Tantu |
In Person Assessor | Dr Ben Stodart | Dr Glenys Noble | A/Prof Marie Bhanugopan |
Online Assessor | Dr Nhamdi Mgbemena | Prof Rod Pope | Dr Brian Sengstock |
3:40pm – 4:00pm | IP Cassie Sutton Honours Student Evidence of renal tubular injury in feline patients after elective desexing | IP Md. Shoriful Islam PhD Candidate Unravelling the germination ecology of sticky nightshade in response to key environmental factors | OL Faisal Rehan PhD Candidate Epilepsy and oral health: exploring the connections |
4:00pm – 4:20pm | IP Ireen Shanta PhD Candidate Trends and impacts of alternative chicken production in Bangladesh | IP Tanjina Amin PhD Candidate Bioactive roles of human milk oligosaccharides in working memory development in piglets | IP Noyal Tharayil PhD Candidate Investigating the health benefits of sorghum-derived peptides |
4:20pm - 4:35pm | OL Ausraful Islam PhD Candidate Public health importance of paramyxovirus and hantavirus circulating among the common rodents and paramyxovirus among bats in and around human settlements in two selected districts of Bangladesh | IP Nayomi Danthanarayana PhD Candidate Metagenomic detection and characterisation of a novel Orthoflavivirus in Papua New Guinea mosquitoes | |
4:35pm |
End of Day 1, We look forward to seeing you on Day 2 | ||
9am – 9:45am |
Welcome to Day 2: Panel Discussion with Prof Marta Hernandez, Dr Martin Pal, Prof Jane Quinn, Prof Sandra Savocchia and Professor Megan Smith hosted by A/Prof Samantha Jakimowicz
| ||
Day 2 Session 1 | Room/Stream A Meeting ID: 672 4102 2755 | Room/Stream B Meeting ID: 675 7717 7501 | Room/Stream C Meeting ID: 685 1156 2149 |
Chair | IP: Toni Hawkins | IP: Dr Andreia Schineanu | OL: Sam Sheridan |
In Person Assessor | Prof Jane Quin | Dr Nirodha Weeraratne | Prof Bing Wang |
Online Assessor | Kathy Tori | Prof Robin Watts | IP - Dr Paul Prenzler |
9:50am – 10:10am | OL Francette Geraghty-Dusan PhD Candidate Valuing one health | OL Nicki Duncan PhD Candidate Mapping off-channel habitats for holistic fish passage restoration benefiting fish and people | IP Nadeeka Narasinghe Arachchige PhD Candidate Characterisation of nuclear localization mechanisms of herpesvirus basic leucine zipper (bZIP) proteins |
10:10am – 10:30am | IP Emily Wagon PhD Candidate Exploring equine encephalitis virus: how the viral capsid protein hijacks host cell receptors during nucleocytoplasmic transport | IP Negash Roba PhD Candidate Climate change will accelerate seasonal fire weather severity by 8–24% in Southeastern Australia | IP Yenealem Kebede PhD Candidate Role of sorghum phenolic compounds in modulating cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk: a systematic review |
10:30am – 10:50am | IP Tanisha Cragg Honours Student The prevalence of pseudomonas aeruginosa in clitoral swabs from thoroughbred mares in eastern Australia from 2019-2025 | IP Nani Das PhD Candidate Maize-rich diet: mitigating heat stress and improving production of lambs | OL Pete Tually PhD Candidate Correlating subjective evaluations in equine nuclear scintigraphy with radiomic profiles, serum osteocalcin and c-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen |
10:50am - 11:05am | IP Naomi Kirkwood PhD Candidate Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor in healthy horses | OL Md. Nazmus Sakib PhD Candidate Tracking the footprints of pandemic-generating vibrio cholerae in Australia | |
11:05am – 11:30am |
Break (25 min) | ||
Day 2 Session 2 | Room/Stream A Meeting ID: 672 4102 2755 | Room/Stream B Meeting ID: 675 7717 7501 | Room/Stream C Meeting ID: 685 1156 2149 |
Chair | OL: Wei Wang | IP: Jaishree Ravidran | OL: Nicki Duncan |
In Person Assessor | Dr Paul Prenzler | Dr Ben Stodart | Dr Alex Wittorff |
Online Assessor | A/Prof Richard Culas | A/Prof Marco Paschoal | IP: Dr Martin Pal |
11:30am – 11:50am | OL Patience Moyo PhD Candidate Nurses working in acute care settings: experiences and perceptions of using structured clinical handover frameworks: a scoping review | OL Joshua Slattery PhD Candidate Using CRISPR to diagnose parasitic infections at the point-of-care | OL Abdullah Toqeer PhD Candidate A spatiotemporal machine learning framework to detect woody plant encroachment into hydrologically altered wetlands |
11:50am – 12:10pm | OL Tameeka Mulquiney Master’s Student Exploring the lived experiences of student midwives who have provided perinatal loss care: a systematic review | OL Benjamin Pak Master’s Student The effects of modified rice bran arabinoxylan supplementation on the nutritional status of patients with colorectal cancer | OL Sang Le PhD Candidate Climate-driven agricultural transformation in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta: visibility, inclusion, and empowerment in gender, youth, and ethnicity |
12:10pm – 12:30pm | OL Santosh Giri PhD Candidate The effects of parental adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and childhood threat and deprivation on adolescent depression and anxiety: an analysis of the longitudinal study of Australian children | OL Md. Akeruzzaman Shaon PhD Candidate ExoPorous: an integrated platform for point-of-care detection of placental exosomal mRNAs in pregnancy complications | OL Ben Wilson PhD Candidate Danger at the door: are feral cats targeting Australia’s social skinks at their communal shelter sites? |
12:30pm - 12:50pm | IP Alicia Carey PhD Candidate Beyond 'With Woman': midwifery in a gender-diverse world | IP Ash Sabuz PhD Candidate Impact of genetics and environmental factors on fatty acid composition of rice | OL Budi Prasetyo PhD Candidate The role of place attachment in the dynamics of infrastructure development and environmental conflict: a case study of Poso, Indonesia |
12:50pm – 1:05pm | IP Bright Jose PhD Candidate Cardiac self-efficacy, self-management and health related quality of life of patients with coronary artery disease in regional, NSW | IP Andrew Lean PhD Candidate Effects of a bacterial and enzymatic product on physical and chemical properties of bedding and cow behaviour in compost bedded pack barns | OL Pangkaj Dhar PhD Candidate Development and validation of a virus-like particle (VLP) based indirect ELISA (iELISA) for the diagnosis of psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) |
1:05pm – 2:00pm |
Break (55 min) | ||
Day 2 Session 3 | Room/Stream A Meeting ID: 672 4102 2755 | Room/Stream B Meeting ID: 675 7717 7501 | Room/Stream C Meeting ID: 685 1156 2149 |
Chair | OL: Nurun Naila | IP: Soph Shephard | IP: Mr Allan Gunn |
In Person Assessor | Dr Doaa Hanafy | Dr Brian McSharry | A/Prof Samantha Jakimowicz |
Online Assessor | Dr Peter Micalos | Prof Rod Pope | A/Prof Farooq Shaikh |
2:00pm – 2:20pm | OL Kelly Tamang PhD Candidate Agricultural water governance in Bhutan: institutional analysis of water sharing and allocation | IP Md. Mahmudul Amin PhD Candidate Dietary human milk oligosaccharides intervention improves brain macrostructures in piglets: an MRI study | OL Dawa Yoezer PhD Candidate Conservation status and threats to freshwater forested wetlands: a global systematic review |
2:20pm – 2:40pm | IP Darby Taguiam PhD Candidate Preliminary evaluation of fungicide efficacy against key pathogens of persimmon dieback | IP Jaishree Ravindran PhD Candidate Evaluating step and gradient elution methods for the isolation of lactoferrin from bovine milk using a chromatographic process | IP Ahmed Ishtiaque PhD Candidate Structural and functional characterisation of the molecular interactions of non-structural proteins in Japanese encephalitis virus infection |
2:40pm – 3:00pm | IP Georgia Kennedy PhD Candidate miRNA expression of bovine CD4+, CD8+ and γδ T cells | IP Oli Fakir PhD Candidate Enhancing nitrogen-use efficiency and yield in dryland wheat using Methylobacterium symbioticum: a field study in southeastern Australia | IP Clara Maurizzi PhD Candidate Japanese encephalitis virus genetic diversity in hosts and viral fitness |
3:00pm - 3:15pm | IP Tahura Khanam Munmun PhD Candidate Backyard poultry in Australia: safe practice or rising biosecurity challenge? | OL Murray Parker PhD Candidate The multisensory experience of european christmas markets: perceptions of sensory and multisensory heritage | IP Sara Esmaeili PhD Candidate A bipartite, mutation-tolerant NLS regulates interaction of ΔNp63α with importin alpha, nuclear transport and transcriptional activity |
3:15pm – 3:30pm |
Closing Comments Thank you for joining the symposium | ||