Institutes, Centres and Groups
Research conducted within the schools of our Faculty is often directly linked to business and industry. The main focus areas are described briefly below.
School of Electrical Engineering and Computing
Collaborative Centres
Training Centre for Food and Beverage Supply Chain Optimisation
Professor Rick Middleton is leading the ARC Training Centre for Food & Beverage Supply Chain Optimisation in training the next generation of multi-disciplinary researchers capable of designing, building, and managing safe, sustainable, and cost-effective food supply chains, which are vital for growing Australia's food industry and for increasing Australia's food exports.
Priority Research Centres
Complex Dynamic Systems and Control
The Priority Research Centre for Complex Dynamic Systems and Control specialises in design, control and analysis, as well as performance optimisation for complex dynamic systems.
University Institutes and Centres
Advanced Cyber Security Engineering Research Centre
The overall aim of the Advanced Cyber Security Research Centre (ACSRC) is to achieve fundamental advances in the theory, design and management of models and techniques that would enable secure and dependable computing information systems and services.
An important characteristic of ACSRC is its research capabilities and expertise covering both theory and practice in addressing the challenges that arise in achieving secure systems in a heterogeneous mobile distributed environment involving distributed systems, wireless, broadband and peer to peer networks, mobile devices and distributed information services.
Intelligent Electricity Networks
The Centre for Intelligent Electricity Networks (CIEN) is an innovative partnership hosted by NIER and is focused on exploring intelligent energy distribution initiatives with the aim of developing technology solutions to meet the challenges of building a more intelligent energy future.
About Us
The Centre has a strong program of medical engineering research spanning applications including medical signal processing, image analysis, virtual reality in medical settings, artificial organs, precision mechatronics, personalised medicine and intelligent implants.
Signal Processing Microelectronics
Signal Processing Microelectronics (SPM) is a research centre in Electrical Engineering. SPM conducts work in the areas of high speed FPGA and ASIC implementations; theory-based design and analysis; software tool development; and digital and analog hardware design.
About us
The Centre for Secure and Reliable Communications contributes to developing telecommunication networks that are robust to eavesdropping attacks, interference, and noise.
Research Groups
Applied Informatics Research
Informatics is the study of Information Technology and its uses. Applied Informatics emphasises its application to real world problems.
Distributed Computing
The Distributed Computing Research Group (DCRG) is focused on investigating distributed and network computing concepts and implementations.
i3 Lab
Human-Computer Interaction research that explores how advanced interactive technologies are applied to real-world problems. The i3 Lab addresses industry-relevant problems where significant value can be gained by the invention of new solutions related to the complex interactions that occur between the humans, computers and data.
Interdisciplinary Machine Learning
The Interdisciplinary Machine Learning Research Group (IMLRG) investigates aspects of machine learning, pattern recognition and data analysis in theory, experiments and applications. Particular emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary projects.
Newcastle Robotics Laboratory
The Newcastle Robotics Laboratory is an interdisciplinary research and training initiative of several robotics related research teams from different research areas including applied mathematics, architecture, computer science, control, electrical engineering, neuroscience, mechatronics and software engineering.
Precision Mechatronics Lab
A multidisciplinary group of electrical engineers, mechanical engineers and physicists developing new mechatronic and robotic technologies for fabrication, imaging, and health care
Telecommunications Networks
The Telecommunications Networks Research Group is engaged in research and development across a range of new telecommunications technology, in areas such as 4G wireless communication systems, channel coding techniques, Smart Grid Technology, and machine-to-machine communications.
School of Engineering
Collaborative Centres
Geotechnical Science and Engineering
The Priority Research Centre for Geotechnical Science and Engineering develops new models and innovative computational methods for predicting the behaviour of geomaterials, metals and composites. Advanced computational methods, coupled with laboratory and field testing are key tools in this pursuit.
Research Hub for Advanced Technologies for Australian Iron Ore
Associate Professor Tom Honeyands is the Director of the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Advanced Technologies for Australian Iron Ore, funded under the Australian Research Council's (ARC) Industrial Transformation Research Program, which is based at the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER) at the University of Newcastle. It brings together three internationally recognised areas of research strength—beneficiation, raw materials handling and iron ore characterisation.
Priority Research Centres
Advanced Particle Processing and Transport
The Priority Research Centre for Advanced Particle Processing and Transport is concerned with the science and engineering of particulate systems relevant to industries of national significance, such as in the mineral resources area. We seek to develop faster and more efficient separation technologies, and technologies for the manufacture, storage, and transport of particles.
Frontier Energy Technologies & Utilisation
The Priority Research Centre for Frontier Energy Technologies and Utilisation conducts cutting edge research on emerging energy technologies, with particular focus on the abatement of greenhouse gases, and clean and sustainable energy production.
Geotechnical Science and Engineering
The Priority Research Centre for Geotechnical Science and Engineering develops new models and innovative computational methods for predicting the behaviour of geomaterials, metals and composites. Advanced computational methods, coupled with laboratory and field testing are key tools in this pursuit.
University Institutes and Centres
Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies
The Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies (CBSPT) is actively involved in both fundamental and applied research on a range of problems associated with bulk solids and particulate technology. Research areas include storage, flow, processing and transportation of bulk solids. CBSPT also provides specialist courses for industry through its professional development programs.
Global Innovative Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials (GICAN)
Innovation in materials science and research to develop advanced technologies and solutions for the global energy, environment and health sectors.
Infrastructure Performance and Reliability
The Centre for Infrastructure Performance and Reliability (CIPAR) is at the international forefront in assessing the reliability, safety, durability and management of buildings, bridges, pipelines, aviation, and other infrastructure systems. The pioneering research at CIPAR includes risk and reliability assessment, corrosion of infrastructure, and structural masonry.
About us
The Centre for Ironmaking Materials Research (CIMR) is a partnership between NIER and BHP Billiton, aimed at defining the link between fundamental iron ore and metallurgical coal properties and their performance in the ironmaking process.
Mass and Thermal Transport in Engineering Materials
The Centre for Mass and Thermal Transport in Engineering Materials has a very strong research capability in the theory and simulation of mass and thermal transport in a wide variety of materials ranging from disordered and ordered multicomponent alloys to cation-mixed oxides, from metal/ceramic composites to fast ion conductors.
About us
The Centre for Multiphase Processes conducts research in the science and technology of fine particles and bubbles. Multiphase processes, which involve more than one phase of matter, form the basis for all Australian process industries including food, energy, agricultural, production and processing.
About us
Water controls Australia’s well-being, environmental health and economy. The Centre for Water Security and Environmental Sustainability (CWSES) is a strategic initiative that builds upon research strengths of ERA 5 groups. It brings together key researchers in Civil, Surveying and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences.
Research Groups
Environmental Engineering
Engineers are developing new innovative computer and other models to provide methods of assessment of environmental impacts and management of disturbed ecosystems.
Fluid Mechanics and Turbulence
The Fluid Mechanics and Turbulence Research Group is applying an advanced understanding of the physics of turbulence to developments in turbulence computation, control and management.
Knowledge Engineering Research Team
The Knowledge Engineering Research Team (KERT) brings together academics at the University of Newcastle who have research interests in knowledge engineering, smart knowledge management systems, multi-agent agents, knowledge-based embedded systems and augmented reality.
Hydrogen Technology and Materials Group
The Hydrogen Technology and Materials Group unites applied and theoretical expertise alike of several academics from the School of Engineering at the University of Newcastle. More specifically, our expertise comprises photocatalytic hydrogen generation, design of next-generation fuel cell stacks, infrastructure durability, advanced materials science, and manufacturing.
Surveying
The Surveying Research Group is conducting research in the photogrammetry and special information area, in applications of automated image matching and surface shape registration, without the use of control points.
Water Resources Engineering
The Water Resources Engineering Research Group are developing innovative computer models to provide methods of assessment of environmental impacts and management of disturbed ecosystems.
Wind Energy
The Wind Energy Research Group focuses on the continued design and development of highly-efficient, low-cost small wind turbines.
For a comprehensive overview of our research please download our Research in Architecture and Built Environment and Engineering Research publications.