The Sydney Comedy Festival is back and funnier than ever!

From 24 April to 12 May, the Seymour will be bursting at the seams with comedic talent. Highlights include:

• ‘Cracker Night’, the madcap opening-night showcase
• ‘Alzheimer's The Musical’
• US rock and spoken word legend Henry Rollins
• Irish comedian David O'Doherty
• Richard Glover and his all-star comedy team from radio's 'Thank God It's Friday'
• one of Australia's favourite comics, Frank Woodley. 

Visit the Seymour Centre website to see what else is playing at the Seymour, or the Sydney Comedy Festival website for the full festival line up.

University policies and procedures can have a real impact on your studies – do you know where to find them?

The Policy Register is the official and definitive source for current policies and procedures, and will always be up-to-date.

For tips on how to use the register, and to find out more about how the University's policy framework operates, visit the policy website.

Where is it safe to plug in your laptop or mobile device? 

To help prevent trips and falls and allow for safer emergency evacuations, passageways in lecture theatres, libraries and other student spaces need to be kept clear of power cords and other obstructions, such as bags and umbrellas.

You can help by fully charging your laptop or mobile device before coming to campus. If you do need to plug in, make sure the cord does not trail across walkways. This can help avoid injuries – and possible damage to your device!

More student safety info (in eight languages) is available on the University’s website.

The Uni's Counselling and Psychological Services team provide a range of free workshops to help you get the best out of university life.

View the skillshops on offer this semester. No enrolment is necessary, just head to Room 513, Level 5, Jane Foss Russell Building, Darlington Campus to attend each skillshop. For more information, call 8627 8433 or 8627 8437.

Researchers from the School of Molecular Bioscience are seeking people concerned about their take-away food eating habits.

The study will investigate peoples’ attitudes and behaviours towards their take-away food eating habits. To be eligible, you must be working full-time or part-time and aged 18 to 35 years old.

Participation involves completing a questionnaire and a focus group interview about your attitudes, beliefs and behaviours towards buying and eating take-away foods. This should take approximately one hour and you’ll be reimbursed for your time and travel.

Contact Amelia Cook on 9351 4672 for more information.

ObjectLab is an intensive workshop program at Sydney College of the Arts (SCA), the visual arts faculty of the University of Sydney.

With a choice of six workshops in glass, ceramics and jewellery and object, participants will come together over five days in an immersive program of demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and artists' talks designed to meet a range of experience, from beginners through to advanced levels.

When: 2 to 6 July 2012
Where: Sydney College of the Arts, Rozelle Campus

To register or for more information, visit the Sydney College of the Arts website.

Enhance your employability and network with some of the country’s leading employers.

Check out a Q&A by a former Graduate Edge student and download the application form at the Graduate Edge website.

Discuss complex social, economic and environmental issues, demands on industry, and what sustainability means for careers in various sectors at this postgraduate roundtable session.

There will also be an opportunity to ask University staff about postgraduate study options in engineering, IT, science, architecture, design and building throughout the event.

Event details
When: 6 to 8pm, Tuesday 1 May
Where: Lecture Theatre, Peter Nicol Russel Building, Darlington Campus

For more information, visit the Future Students website.

Care about honours qualifications? The SRC wants to hear what you have to say!

This year the University is starting to discuss the future of honours and the extent to which it meets the needs of students. The SRC believes that students should be involved in this discussion and, as such, are seeking your thoughts.

Fill in the survey to have your voice heard, and email the SRC President for more information.

How does dopamine influence language processing?

This presentation looks at data from Parkinson’s disease sufferers to support the view that dopamine enhances language learning and influences language processing through cortical and subcortical mechanisms.

Presented by Associate Professor David Copland, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research. 

Event details
When: 3.30pm, Friday 27 April
Where: Level 5 Lecture Theatre, Brain and Mind Research Institute, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown

What are the benefits of therapeutic brain stimulation for neuropsychiatric conditions?

Therapeutic brain stimulation has revolutionised the treatment of movement disorders and may also benefit other neuropsychiatric conditions.

Presented by Associate Professor Zelma HT Kiss MD, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary.

Event details
When: 1 to 2pm, Monday 30 April
Where: Level 5 Lecture Theatre, Brain and Mind Research Institute, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown

In the lead up to International Nurses’ Day, Sydney Nursing School and Sydney University Nursing Society (SUNS) invite you to the inaugural Lunchtime Legends Leadership Seminar Series.

Dr Rosemary Bryant (pictured), Australia’s Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer and President of the International Council of Nurses will open the series.

When: 1 to 2pm, Thursday 3 May 2012.
Where: Lecture Theatre BG.01, 88 Mallett Street, Camperdown
Lunch provided

The second seminar will be presented by Adjunct Professor Debra Thoms, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer NSW, with Dr Tim Wand (Nurse Practitioner in Mental Health Liaison in the Emergency Department at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and a Clinical Senior Lecturer in Mental Health at Sydney Nursing School) and Donna Hartz (midwife and PhD candidate).

When: 1 to 2pm, Thursday 24 May
Where: Lecture Theatre BG.01, 88 Mallett Street, Camperdown
Lunch provided 

For catering purposes please register on the Sydney Nursing School website.

The Charles Perkins Centre invites you to a seminar on new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research and technology, presented by Dr Olaf Such and Professor Peter Luijten.

Dr Such will discuss collaborative MRI projects between Philips Healthcare and leading European universities, including Nottingham University, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Universiteit Utrecht and Leiden University.

Professor Luijten oversees MRI research at Utrecht University, and will discuss the art, science and practice of high field MRI.

This event is co-presented by the Charles Perkins Centre and Philips MRI Asia Pacific.

Event details
When: 9 to 11am, Friday 4 May
Where: Lecture Theatre 106, New Law Building, Camperdown Campus
Cost: Free
RSVP: Charles Perkins Centre website

Shu-Cheen studied Opera and Arts at the Conservatorium in 1988, after migrating to Australia from China. She has won numerous international awards and has three best-selling CDs on ABC Classics.

Event details
When: Sunday 27 May
Where: Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Corner of Bridge and Macquarie streets, Sydney
Cost: $15

Shu-Cheen will also give a talk about her musical journey at 6pm, Thursday 24 May in Lecture Theatre 351, Education Building, Camperdown Campus. To book or for more information, visit the Confucius Institute website.