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 • 21 Feb 2023
Newcastle to lead NSW Government’s pharmacy prescribing trial
The University of Newcastle has been awarded a $3m grant to run the NSW Government’s clinical pharmacy trial, which will for the first time enable pharmacists to prescribe treatments for urinary tract infections (UTIs) and continue a prescription for the re-supply of the oral contraceptive pill.
News • 20 Feb 2023
High-tech campus on the rise in Central Coast
The opening of a new state-of-the-art University of Newcastle campus in Gosford is a step closer following the signing of the final agreement between the NSW Government and the University of Newcastle.
News • 10 Feb 2023
Inaugural Central Coast HSC art exhibition gives young artists a platform to share their work
The University of Newcastle is proud to present the inaugural Coast Next Gen Art Exhibition on the Central Coast, which invites the community to come together in celebration and support of young emerging artists.
News • 03 Feb 2023
Early-career researchers boosted in mission to beat cancer
Three University of Newcastle early career cancer researchers have been awarded grants to support their work investigating blood and gynaecological cancers.
News • 01 Feb 2023
2023 Ma & Morley scholars begin their transformative experience
This year, 25 Scholars will begin their life-changing experience as part of the University of Newcastle’s Ma & Morley Scholarship Program. Now in its sixth year, the Ma & Morley Scholarship Program has provided a transformative experience to close to 170 university students since 2018.
News • 31 Jan 2023
University of Newcastle Professor Appointed UNESCO Chair
The University of Newcastle’s Professor Penny Jane Burke has today been appointed a UNESCO Chair in Equity, Social Justice and Higher Education – a globally-prestigious role that will see her working to improve the lives of marginalised groups around the world.
News • 27 Jan 2023
2023 Australia Day Honours in celebration of our remarkable community
The University of Newcastle is proud to celebrate the accomplishments and impact of its diverse community who have been recognised in the 2023 Australia Day Honours.
News • 24 Jan 2023
Industry partnership aims to heal wound control problem
University of Newcastle experts and industry leaders will join forces to develop new ways to address wound control, a distressing problem that costs the Australian healthcare industry $3.5b each year.
News • 23 Jan 2023
New International Hotel School ahead as part of plan to address tourism skills shortage
The University of Newcastle is set to open an International Hotel School as the next phase in a plan to address labour shortages that plague the tourism sector in the region and beyond.
News • 20 Jan 2023
Beat the scammers and dive into Law on the Beach
Financial scammers don’t discriminate when honing in on their targets, often leaving the most vulnerable in the community confused and fearful.
News • 19 Jan 2023
Award-winning night of reflection Ngarrama returns
Building on the success of the inaugural event, the University of Newcastle is proud to welcome the wider community once again to Ngarrama.
News • 18 Jan 2023
Pro Vice-Chancellor Nathan Towney named 2023 Newcastle Citizen of the Year
University leader and Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous, Strategy and Leadership, Nathan Towney, has been selected as Newcastle’s 2023 Citizen of the Year.
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.