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 • 12 Nov 2024
Newcastle early intervention program for young men and boys to address violence
The University of Newcastle’s Name.Narrate.Navigate.360 (NNN.360) program has secured more than $2.1 million in Australian Government funding to support young men and boys who may be at risk of engaging in family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV).
News • 08 Nov 2024
University of Newcastle nursing students awarded at prestigious NSW International Education Awards
This week, two University of Newcastle students, Aradhana Grover and FenZhi Wen, were recognised at the prestigious 2024 NSW International Education Awards.
News • 05 Nov 2024
World’s top scientists gather in Newcastle to advance energy and innovation
This week Newcastle welcomes more than 800 eminent scientists from 42 different countries, including two Nobel laureates, for the fifth International Conference on Emerging Advanced Nanomaterials (ICEAN 2024).
News • 04 Nov 2024
The University of Newcastle and I2N: Pioneering a greener future through innovation
Surf lifesaving robots, green hydrogen energy, accessible beauty, wild yeast, and end-of-life planning are just some of the innovative ideas that will be showcased at the 2024 I2N Accelerator Demo Night this week.
News • 31 Oct 2024
Twenty years of ResTech: Celebrating collaboration between Ampcontrol and University of Newcastle
ResTech, a joint venture between Ampcontrol and the University of Newcastle, opened their doors to students, industry and the media for an Industry Open Day in celebration of their 20th anniversary.
News • 28 Oct 2024
Jenny’s Place Domestic Violence Resource Centre leads early intervention response
The nation is experiencing a domestic and family violence (DFV) crisis, and a trailblazing early intervention program offered by local organisation, Jenny’s Place, is leading the DFV response, a University of Newcastle study finds.
News • 22 Oct 2024
Medallist’s personal tragedy changes trajectory of childhood brain cancer
University of Newcastle and HMRI researcher Professor Matt Dun officially received the Australian Society for Medical Research Medal today. He also addressed the National Press Club in Canberra, sharing his deeply personal motivation for expanding his research from paediatric leukaemia to childhood brain cancer.
News • 09 Oct 2024
Newcastle Permanent and HMRI launch $2m health innovation partnership
Newcastle Permanent and the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) have announced a new partnership, powered by a two-million-dollar donation to advance the impact of medical research, nurture local talent, and drive breakthroughs to create the healthiest people on the planet.
News • 08 Oct 2024
Millie’s pathway to becoming an inspiring teacher and making a change in community
The University of Newcastle is leading transformative change in rural and regional education, which is one thing that attracted proud Wiradjuri woman, Millie Mills, to the University. Millie relocated from Wellington and is currently in her second year of studying Education, something that she said is thanks to the Wollotuka Institute’s Yapug program.
News • 02 Oct 2024
Australia’s health prevention programs set for $5m NHMRC check up
The University of Newcastle will lead a national research program aiming to transform Australia’s health prevention system and reduce the chronic disease burden.
News • 30 Sep 2024
Fossil Fables strikes gold at 2024 Australian Good Design Awards
A unique exhibition which explores Australia’s complex relationship with coal mining has been recognised with a gold accolade in the prestigious 2024 Australian Good Design Awards.
News • 26 Sep 2024
Collaborating for clean energy and coastal resilience in the Pacific
The University of Newcastle is proudly continuing its commitment to engagement in the Pacific region, with representatives signing an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) in Samoa 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.