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 • 30 Aug 2024
Mission to solve unexplained gut disease granted $3m NHMRC funding
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has today awarded $3m to the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Digestive Health to continue its mission to find causes of chronic unexplained gut diseases, unlock new targets for therapies and ultimately cure disease.
News • 29 Aug 2024
Scholarship supports students to strive to success
The Wollotuka Institute at the University of Newcastle has announced their 2024 Indigenous scholarship recipients at their annual breakfast. The 48 successful recipients were celebrated in front of their peers thanks to the generosity of their community scholarship donors.
News • 28 Aug 2024
In three minutes or less: Creative pitches take first place at competitive research finals
Jake MacDonald and Zanab Malik claimed first place at the University of Newcastle’s Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) and Visualise Your Thesis (VYT) competition finals last night.
News • 27 Aug 2024
Massive Open Day expecting thousands
Around 5,000 people are expected to explore the University of Newcastle’s Callaghan and City campuses when the University opens its doors from 9am–3pm on Saturday 31 August.
News • 13 Aug 2024
All paths welcome at Central Coast Open Day
Around 1,000 people will be welcomed to the University of Newcastle Central Coast campuses this Saturday 17 August, as the community is invited to explore world-class facilities and experience what university has to offer.
News • 13 Aug 2024
Glimpse inside clever minds at University Science Week event
To celebrate National Science Week, the University of Newcastle is hosting a unique community event on Thursday that will delve into interesting, quirky and impressive research in science, technology and the environment.
News • 12 Aug 2024
HMRI leads national evaluation of medical research funding scheme
The Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) has been selected to lead the evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of Stream 3 of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Rapid Applied Research Translation (RART) Grant.
News • 12 Aug 2024
University of Newcastle approved for innovative Health Education and Research Building transformation at Callaghan Campus
The University of Newcastle is set to embark on refurbishment works at the Health Education Research Building at Callaghan Campus, with the green light given on the project’s Development Application. This milestone paves the way for enhanced educational and research facilities at the University.
News • 01 Aug 2024
Triple E Project to boost adolescent health engagement
The Hunter Medical Research Institute’s (HMRI) Healthy Minds Research Program, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Newcastle and University of Sydney, have launched the Triple E Project, a research study aiming to improve adolescents’ engagement with health apps, empowering young Australians to enhance their physical and mental health.
News • 01 Aug 2024
Greater Charitable Foundation Equity Scholarship program calling for applications
Current and future University of Newcastle students seeking financial assistance to support their studies are now invited to apply for the latest round of the Greater Charitable Foundation Equity Scholarship program.
News • 31 Jul 2024
$1m Mark Hughes Foundation investment to accelerate race to brain cancer cure
The Mark Hughes Foundation (MHF) has today announced a $1m investment to bring two of Australia’s leading brain cancer research centres together in their mission to accelerate progress towards a cure.
News • 31 Jul 2024
A game of rat and mouse: Scientists track the movements of bird-eating rodents on Norfolk Island
Scientists have completed their first field trip to Norfolk Island as part of a Resilient Landscapes Hub project that aims to protect rare birds by tracking the movements of introduced rats and mice on the island.
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.