CDU Open Day highlights study pathways on offer
Territorians have gotten a taste of university life and explored the pathways to their lifelong passions at Charles Darwin University’s (CDU) Open Day held at the Casuarina Campus on August 19.
Hundreds of members of the local community attended the campus to take part in CDU’s annual Casuarina Campus Open Day.
Student Ziyang Song is known by many in Darwin for her food truck business, Cro-Cold.
Ms Song knows about finding her passion as she travelled down different career paths before discovering her love for food.
Ms Song studied media in China before moving to Australia to study commercial catering. Now she is studying a Master of Accounting at CDU while operating her business.
“I want to live in Darwin long term. It was difficult to find a job, so I started my own business,” Ms Song said.
“The trailer and equipment came from China, but the trailer needed alterations. I have spent six months building the business, including re-designing the trailer myself.”
Cro-cold is a dessert business offering uniquely Asian iced desserts.
“It’s something not offered in Darwin, and I think there is a lot of opportunity,” she said.
Ms Song’s food truck Cro-Cold was at Casuarina’s Open Day with visitors sampling Ms Song’s delightful desserts.
Visitors were also able to fly drones and a flight simulator, participate in trade simulators, and tour CDU’s cyber lab and aquaculture facilities just to name a few of the activities.
CDU Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman said Casuarina Open Day was an opportunity for students to see the world-class offerings they have right at their doorstep.
“We are focused on the student experience at CDU, and Open Day gives us an opportunity to showcase to future students what it would be like to study at CDU,” Professor Bowman said.
“We not only have a variety of courses on offer here at CDU, but we also have a fabulous student culture.”
This year Open Day coincided with National Science Week, with a variety of scientific events offered for visitors to participate in.
Game On! featured local heroes in video game development, tabletop board games, esports, artists stalls and more, offering an opportunity to meet likeminded people and broadcast to the wider community the fun associated with trying something different.
Inspired NT Manager Sarah Sutcliffe said the arcade of gaming delights was only a slice of what National Science Week events were on offer.
"Bite of Science, proudly supported by Power and Water, was a brilliant bazaar of scientific curiosities, including everything from stargazing to the latest in medicine,” Ms Sutcliffe said.
“These events captured the spirit of curiosity and discovery that is at the heart of scientific exploration."