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 • 07 Oct 2022
University of Newcastle’s Q Building officially opens
The University of Newcastle’s Q Building has been officially opened today by The Hon. Rob Stokes MP Minister for Infrastructure, Cities, and Active Transport.
News • 06 Oct 2022
Opinion: Celebrating our cultural and arts legacy
When my partner and I relocated to Newcastle nearly a decade ago, we chose to live in the Newcastle CBD to be part of the renaissance of the community. In the last decade we’ve watched and participated in what I like to call the evolution from our dependency on the mine, to the dependency on the...
News • 04 Oct 2022
University of Newcastle scientist Professor Ravi Naidu receives prestigious global award for ground-breaking environmental research
Distinguished scientist Laureate Professor Ravi Naidu has been awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA), the highest honour conferred to a non-Indian resident or person of Indian Origin who has made significant contributions in their respective field.
News • 27 Sep 2022
Dog vaccine and steel recycling projects awarded nearly $800,000 in Australian Research Council funding
The Australian Research Council (ARC) has announced its latest round of funding for Linkage Project grants, with two University of Newcastle projects attracting funding totalling nearly $800,000.
News • 23 Sep 2022
Researchers make new connections between sperm and overall health
Researchers from the Infertility and Reproduction Program at Hunter Medical Research Institute have unearthed a connection between lipid peroxidation that occurs in both poor sperm health and in other diseases.
News • 23 Sep 2022
Energy Doctoral Training Centre launched to support the new energy economy
The University of Newcastle has launched a third Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) in Energy.
News • 20 Sep 2022
$12m program rolling out regional diabetes care
The Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), Hunter New England Health Local Health District (HNELHD), the Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECCPHN) and the University of Newcastle are improving access to diabetes care in rural and regional areas.
News • 20 Sep 2022
Media Statement: Enterprise bargaining and industrial action
Please attribute this statement to University of Newcastle Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Kent Anderson:
News • 20 Sep 2022
Solving the nation’s challenges: $3million in ARC funding
The Australian Research Council (ARC) has announced its latest rounds of funding for the Future Fellowships and DECRA schemes, with four University of Newcastle projects attracting funding of more than $3 million for projects of national importance.
News • 15 Sep 2022
Students, staff and businesses to be recognised in University of Newcastle Employability Excellence Awards
The University of Newcastle is encouraging the community to nominate students, local businesses and university staff who have excelled in …
News • 12 Sep 2022
New benchmarking tool aims to reshape workplaces across Australia
More than half of Australian employees feel lonely in their work, with 15 per cent feeling 'extremely lonely', and younger Australians below 29 years of age feeling lonelier than any other age group.
News • 12 Sep 2022
Researchers discover potential new melanoma treatment, giving hope to patients
HMRI and University of Newcastle researchers have discovered that treating patients who have late-stage treatment resistant melanoma with a combination of two existing drugs significantly increases their survival times.
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.