Undergraduate Students

The Priority Research Centre for Energy focuses on a challenging contemporary issue: the management of greenhouse gas emissions. The research and development opportunities available in this area are expanding now, and will continue well into the future.

The facilities, and student access to these facilities, make the PRCfE unique among research centres offering opportunities for students. The Priority Research Centre for Energy involves the students in all steps of developing new ideas – from fundamental research, through to experimental implementation. This experience, and the building of valuable skills under the supervision of experienced practitioners, will be invaluable to all students whether their employment aims are industrial, academic or research based. The main building of the Priority Research Centre for Energy, which is located directly opposite the Bar on the Hill in the ATC Building, contains state of the art laboratories while further laboratories affiliated with the Centre are located within the University of Newcastle and off-campus.

The Priority Research Centre for Energy offers undergraduate students a chance to implement their training into a hands-on environment immediately, giving them experience useful to their future course and beyond their undergraduate degree.

For undergraduate students at the University of Newcastle, participation in this program will also count towards the compulsory industry experience required by the Chemical Engineering undergraduate degree. This opportunity also allows students to mingle with more experienced researchers, to give more accurate ideas about the demands and opportunities of research beyond the undergraduate degree.

Summer Research Internship

The Priority Research Centre for Energy has a focus on undergraduate students in research positions, operating a summer internship program since the Centre was founded in late 2006. These openings are for third-year chemical engineering and chemistry students, allowing them an opportunity to be involved in research projects undertaken in the Centre’s laboratories. The training or research positions will normally be 10-weeks in duration during Dec-Feb (if you come from a country in the southern hemisphere) or May-August (if you come from a country in the northern hemisphere). The positions are open to students from anywhere in the world.

To be considered, your academic performance needs to place you in the top 10% of your class. This corresponds, for example, to an average grade of distinction in Australia, GPA of more than 3.5 in the US and Canada, or CPI of more than 8.6 at IITs in India. If you come from a non-English University you need to demonstrate your fluency in the English language, for example by providing IELTS or TOEFL scores.

The Centre will fund your living allowance in the amount of AUS$500 per week and reimburse you for a round-trip economy air ticket to Australia. However, you will need to purchase yourself medical insurance in your native country, prior to arriving in Australia. The PRCfE also invites applications from students in other engineering and science disciplines (e.g., electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, architecture, and physics).