Affordable and Clean Energy
Local Community Outreach for Energy Efficiency
The University of Newcastle delivers community and school outreach that helps people explore energy efficiency, clean energy technologies and the role of engineering in a lower-emissions future.
Clean energy innovation in the Hunter
On 2 April 2025, the University's I2N Startup Stories program at the Honeysuckle Innovation Hub featured University alumnus Peter Richardson, founder and CEO of Facet Amtech. The public event explored how a Newcastle cleantech startup is making ammonia production cleaner and more energy efficient, using less energy while reducing emissions and manufacturing costs.
The session connected clean-energy research and entrepreneurship with the Hunter's startup community, showing how energy-efficiency innovation can move from the laboratory into practical industrial applications.
Peter Richardson, founder and CEO of Facet Amtech.
Energy learning through the Science and Engineering Challenge
The University's Science and Engineering Challenge is a nationwide STEM outreach program delivered in partnership with communities, Rotary clubs, universities and sponsors. In 2025, more than 26,800 students from over 873 schools took part, including Challenge and Discovery Days in Newcastle, the Central Coast and other regional communities.
Energy and sustainability are built into the program's hands-on activities. In ElectraCITY, students design an electricity network for a model city and must find the most efficient, lowest-cost way to supply buildings while accounting for cable resistance and infrastructure costs. Other activities include wind-turbine design and environmentally responsive housing.
The 2025 event calendar included Newcastle Challenge Days from 4-10 April and Newcastle Discovery Days from 8-12 September, alongside events throughout New South Wales and every Australian state and territory.
The National Science and Engineering Challenge
Building energy literacy through practical outreach
These programs give school students, community members, innovators and local industry practical ways to engage with energy efficiency and clean-energy solutions. They connect technical concepts with real-world decisions about electricity use, industrial processes, renewable technologies and sustainable design.
2024 Annual Spring School
The University of Newcastle's centre for organic electronics (COE) successfully hosted its 14th annual spring school. In 2024, this three-day event provided undergraduate students from various disciplines, including Science, Math, IT, Engineering, and Medical Sciences, with an opportunity to explore cutting-edge research in organic electronics. The program featured lectures from local and international experts, hands-on experiences in COE labs, and interactive think tank sessions aimed at inspiring students to pursue research careers. Highlights included fabricating organic solar cells, operating advanced microscopes, racing simulated EV cars, and learning about Printed Solar and its recycling. Accredited by CIFAL Newcastle and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), students received formal recognition for their participation. The event, sponsored by Spruson & Ferguson Intellectual Property and the Australian National Fabrication Facility, saw students awarded for solar cell efficiency and EV racing. Following the event’s success, many students expressed interest in continuing their research journey with the COE.
COE, the University of Newcastle Australia 5:43
Learn more
News • 08 May 2013
Disciplines ranked in top 200 in the world
The University of Newcastle has ten disciplines which feature in the top 200 in the world, according to new QS World University Rankings published today.
News • 07 May 2013
Newcastle researchers question existence of manflu
Men are popularly maligned for wilting like cheap supermarket flowers at the first winter sniffle, however data from Flutracking.net, Australia’s online influen
News • 02 May 2013
Newcastle PhD student's debut novel shortlisted
University of Newcastle Creative Writing PhD graduate, Michael Sala, has had his debut novel well received with nominations for two respected book awards, inclu
News • 29 Apr 2013
Tamworth Education Centre tender announced
The University of Newcastle has announced the award of the tender for construction of the Tamworth Education Centre (TEC) to Port Macquarie builder, A W Edwards
News • 26 Apr 2013
University of Newcastle wins international medical conference
More than four hundred medical education experts will flock to Newcastle in March 2015 for The Asian Medical Education Association (AMEA) Conference 2015 to be
News • 22 Apr 2013
Newcastle researchers leapfrog ahead in world-first
University of Newcastle researchers have successfully developed a method to freeze frog embryonic cells in a world-first breakthrough that could slow the threat
News • 15 Apr 2013
NeW Space
NeW Space is a $95 million landmark education precinct under development by the University of Newcastle in the heart of Newcastle's CBD.
News • 27 Mar 2013
Newcastle Innovation farewells Chair of the Board
After more than 20 years helping to guide the strategic direction of Newcastle Innovation, Dr Geoff Leonard AM has announced his retirement as Chair.
News • 26 Mar 2013
University scholarships up for grabs
Students at the University of Newcastle are being urged to apply for a scholarship, which can help ease the financial burden associated with study.
News • 18 Mar 2013
Lost frog DNA back from the dead: Lazarus Project
The genome of an extinct Australian frog has been revived and reactivated by a team of scientists using sophisticated cloning technology to implant a "dead" cell nucleus into a fresh egg from another frog species.
News • 14 Mar 2013
Researchers delve into world of food addiction
A University of Newcastle research team is hoping to uncover the hidden world of food addiction with a new project launched this week.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.