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 • 23 Aug 2023
Thousands of people to get a taste of university life with robot soccer, Virtual Reality learning, mock court, and race cars at Newcastle Open Day
Thousands of prospective students, their families and friends are set to get their first taste of university life at the University of Newcastle’s annual Newcastle Open Day on Saturday 26 August.
News • 10 Aug 2023
Koala conservation heats up: drones used to thermally detect animals
Conservation scientists from the University of Newcastle are using heat-detecting drones to capture data on koala populations in Port Stephens LGA.
News • 10 Aug 2023
University of Newcastle introduces Graduate Diploma to fast track path to high school teaching
The University of Newcastle has launched a new Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) to help provide a much-needed solution to the state’s teacher shortage. The graduate diploma provides a 12-month program for people who are looking to transition their careers and fast track their studies to become a high school teacher.
News • 07 Aug 2023
Innovative ‘Living Laboratory’ sees students solve real problems at Newcastle Airport
An innovative partnership between Newcastle Airport and the University of Newcastle has seen students working in a ‘living laboratory’ at the Airport on ways to solve problems with the baggage handling system and better service the growing number of passengers.
News • 07 Aug 2023
Local Hunter teens on a mission to reveal data leaks at Cyber Experience event
With a hypothetical mission to uncover the identity of a company insider who leaked valuable trade secrets, a group of curious young minds will experience first-hand what a career in cyber security looks like.
News • 04 Aug 2023
University of Newcastle Staff Vote Yes on New Enterprise Agreement
Staff at the University of Newcastle have shown overwhelming support for a 13% pay rise by voting in favour of their proposed new Enterprise Agreements.
News • 01 Aug 2023
Female Founders to get start-up boost
Female-led business start-ups in the region will have the opportunity to turbo-charge their start-up thanks to a free Female Founders Program to be run by the University of Newcastle’s I2N.
News • 01 Aug 2023
Research shows small grants have significant impact on disadvantaged families
Small financial grants can have a significant and lasting positive impact on the lives of the young people they assist, new research has found.
News • 01 Aug 2023
New program poised to help refugee women enter the construction workforce
The University of Newcastle has launched a program to support women from migrant or refugee backgrounds – who are interested in working in the construction industry – with the training and confidence to do so.
News • 01 Aug 2023
University of Newcastle successful recipients of four prestigious Australia Awards Fellowships
From inclusive education in Vanuatu to cyber security training in Samoa, four research teams at the University of Newcastle have been successful recipients of the highly competitive and prestigious Australia Awards Fellowships.
News • 31 Jul 2023
$1m supports immunology and microbiology researchers
Two Newcastle scientists are among six promising researchers recognised with a prestigious NSW Government grant designed to support and build health and medical research talent in NSW.
News • 31 Jul 2023
Hunter Ambassadors fostering greater Financial Literacy
A group of Greater Bank employees from across regional NSW have again been enlisted to teach the important life skills of financial literacy to high school students across the state.
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.