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 Jul 2026
University of Newcastle takes out 30th anniversary of Indigenous Nationals on home soil
The University of Newcastle and the Wollotuka Institute have proudly celebrated 30 Years of Indigenous Nationals, welcoming more than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student-athletes from 31 universities across Australia for the milestone event.
News • 07 Jul 2026
New medical engineering tech aims to speed up recovery for burns victims
A new medical engineering technology developed at the University of Newcastle could significantly improve recovery outcomes for burn patients.
News • 06 Jul 2026
‘Outed’ by the algorithm – how social media is revealing queer identity ahead of self-disclosure
Social media algorithms are increasingly revealing users’ sexual orientation or gender identity before they have consciously come out to themselves …
News • 01 Jul 2026
University of Newcastle and Tower Cinemas partner to support the next generation of creatives
The University of Newcastle has partnered with Newcastle Tower Cinema to support emerging creative talent and provide students with discounted …
News • 29 Jun 2026
Beanies deliver greater imaging insight for brain cancer researchers
The Australian public and wider rugby league community has supported the Mark Hughes Foundation to raise $3.8 million across the 2026 NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round. The Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle will use the proceeds to purchase a unique MRI-PET Imaging Machine to drive new drug development.
News • 25 Jun 2026
Australia’s social media age restrictions show limited early impact, new research finds
New research examining the early implementation of Australia’s world-first social media age restrictions for under 16s has revealed little change in adolescence use of the platforms.
News • 24 Jun 2026
University of Newcastle ranked in the top 30 globally in the 2026 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings
A strong commitment to engagement, sustainability, the environment and clean energy has lifted the University of Newcastle into the top …
News • 24 Jun 2026
Women in engineering shine at University of Newcastle’s Callaghan graduation
Graduation is a moment in life we rarely forget, and for Haley Redfern and Sophie Sorensen, the day will be particularly special, as they each receive a University Medal, recognition awarded to just a handful of students each year.
News • 18 Jun 2026
Hundreds of Graduates set to cross stage at university’s Central Coast Graduations
Hundreds of students and their families will gather at the University of Newcastle’s Central Coast Ourimbah campus on Thursday for …
News • 18 Jun 2026
Global clinical trial reveals safest, most effective antibiotics for golden staph bloodstream infections
The University of Newcastle has co-led an international clinical trial that has identified the optimal antibiotics for golden staph bloodstream infections - finding the standard antibiotic, flucloxacillin, should no longer be the drug of choice to treat the infection.
News • 17 Jun 2026
Building a stronger first line of defence against respiratory viruses
Respiratory viruses continue to place significant pressure on communities and healthcare services each winter. For Professor Nathan Bartlett, a virologist at the University of Newcastle and leader of HMRI's Infection Research Program, those numbers highlight the need for better ways to stop infections before they take hold.
News • 15 Jun 2026
Indigenous Nationals returns home for landmark 30th anniversary
At the end of this month, Indigenous Nationals presented by bp (Indigenous Nationals), returns home to the University of Newcastle, where more than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students will come together on Awabakal and Worimi Country.
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.