Video Library

Gulbali Research Video Library

Life in a freshwater rock pool: Use of eDNA to survey gnamma biodiversity

The hidden life of rock pools

Dr Damian Michael and his team explore puddles of water sitting on a granite rock shelf in the middle of Australia’s vast outback which might be harbouring a precious diversity of life, some of it endangered. Protecting this biodiversity is a major challenge because up until recently it’s been difficult to even identify what’s present.

Story in  Global Water Forum :4 Sept 2024

Life in a freshwater rock pool: Use of eDNA to survey gnamma biodiversity

Wombat burrows are not just for wombats

Explore the fascinating role of wombat burrows in providing refuge for wildlife after bushfires. PhD student Grant Linley and his supervisor Dale Nimmo captured diverse species, from bush rats to lace monitors, using these burrows following the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires.

Wombat burrows are hotspots for small vertebrates in a landscape subject to gigafire Journal of Mammalogy, gyae034,

Provocations Lecture Series

Adapting to change - invasive plants and pests take up the challenge

Listen to Professor Leslie Ann Weston's Provocations public lecture as she takes us on a fascinating international tour of invasive species, equipping us to manage their devastating impacts.

Parasites, Australia's silent threat: Coincidence, nature's hand, or policy complacency?

In this Provocations Lecture, Professor Shokoofeh Shamsi explores the surge in parasitic incidents in Australia, covering the origins, implications, and possible human factors contributing to Australia's parasitic predicaments. Are these occurrences mere coincidences, driven by the forces of Mother Nature, or do they serve as stark reminders of complacency within the policymaking domain?

Thirst for Power - the rivers of conflict in Southeast Asia

In our fourth Provocations Lecture Series, Professor Lee Baumgartner takes you on a journey across Australia and Southeast Asia exploring water security challenges, fast fashion, and the innovative ways that communities are developing healthy rivers, in a changing climate with growing regional populations.

TedX Wagga Wagga

On the 18 November 2023, the inaugural TEDx event, ideas worth spreading, celebrating the brilliance and creativity found in Wagga Wagga and the wider Riverina.

Can data feed the world? | Jonathan Medway | TEDxWagga Wagga

Jonathan Medway provides an overview of developments made in agricultural technology over the past 50 years and the effect this has had on global food production. Jonathan Medway is the Director of the Global Digital Farm initiative at Charles Sturt University with more than 35 years experience working to improve agricultural management systems.

Understanding the capability and application of digital technologies for cropping, livestock and intensive industries is the central focus of his research and consultancy activity.

Parasites – A hidden force of nature | Shokoofeh Shamsi | TEDxWagga Wagga

Take an exciting journey as we uncover the enigmatic world of parasites and the unintended consequences of human interference. Professor Shokoofeh Shamsi leads the parasitology teaching and research team at Charles Sturt University in Wagga.

In a healthy environment, untouched by human intervention, a delicate balance exists between parasite and host populations. The survival of parasites hinges on the well-being of their hosts, as they are inextricably entwined. All too frequently, human actions transform these tiny creatures into monsters, largely due to our neglecting their vital role and significance within the ecosystem.

Research Futures


Research Futures is a series of video interviews with Gulbali Researchers by Virginia Haussegger AM, an award-winning television journalist, writer and commentator. Research is, and will always be, vital to Charles Sturt’s social purpose – to generate world-class applied research to help foster prosperous communities across New South Wales. Charles Sturt aims to be the leading regional university known for solving real-world problems and enhancing the quality of life of regional Australians.

Professor Lee Baumgartner discusses the need to embrace Gulbali values and understand country, his big research ideas, the challenges facing Australian freshwater river systems, and the important research program he is leading to address these challenges.

Professor Leslie discusses her big research ideas, her ground-breaking work in crop protection and soil science, and the use of various technologies to solve complex agronomy problems

Professor Jane Quinn discusses her big research ideas, the challenges facing the Australian livestock industry, the research she is conducting to address the challenges, and the strong reputation of Charles Sturt graduates in building the agri-innovation workforce of the future.

Professor Shokoofeh Shamsi discusses her work as a parasitologist, her vision for revitalising Australia’s expertise in parasitology, and the importance of her research in ensuring bio-secure and healthy regional communities.

Professor Alan Cooper discusses his big research ideas, Charles Sturt’s unique partnerships and strengths in a regional context, and his big idea to develop verification systems for measuring the biodiversity of ecosystems using DNA technologies.

Podcasts with Gulbali Researchers

Australia Water Partnerships

The Next Generation Water Management Policy Brief Series highlights water management for agriculture and food security across Asia and the Pacific region. This webinar looks at sustainable practices for improving river connectivity, restoring ecosystems, the critical role of fish passages, the impact of river basin fragmentation, innovative irrigation projects from the NextGen Programme, and the significance of river infrastructure mapping in water resource management.

What’s behind the horrifying phenomenon of fish kills in Australian inland waterways? Join OzFish as they unearth the many fish kills that have taken place recently with Professor Lee Baumgartner – the leading scientist who is involved in the government enquiry investigating the events.