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 • 25 Nov 2021
NUspace and Civic Park light up orange to start 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women
The University of Newcastle’s NUspace building and Civic Park will light up in orange this Thursday to mark the start of the 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women.
News • 22 Nov 2021
Screaming for attention: Surprise discovery of two new – and very loud – frog species
Scientists from the University of Newcastle, Australian Museum, South Australian Museum and Queensland National Parks and Wildlife have found and described two new, very loud, frog species from eastern Australia.
News • 19 Nov 2021
Tax clinic established at Newcastle Business School to assist the disadvantaged and vulnerable
Disadvantaged and vulnerable members of the Hunter will have access to free tax advice and assistance following today’s announcement by Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar that Newcastle Business School has been awarded $300,000 under the expansion of the National Tax Clinic.
News • 17 Nov 2021
University secures 7th Heart Foundation grant
Professor Aaron Sverdlov is the 7th University of Newcastle researcher to benefit from the 2021 Heart Foundation funding program.
News • 17 Nov 2021
Professor Balogh honoured for his work in Emergency Medicine
Professor Zsolt Balogh has been named the top Emergency Medicine researcher in the country by The Australian's Research 2021 magazine. This is the second year in a row that Professor Balogh has taken out top honours in this field.
News • 16 Nov 2021
Threatened coral puts entire coastal ecosystems at risk
Huge declines of soft coral habitats off the NSW coast are a major cause for concern, putting entire food webs at risk, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Newcastle.
News • 16 Nov 2021
University of Newcastle’s Vice-Chancellor agrees to another five years
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle, Professor Alex Zelinsky AO, is to lead the institution for another five years, after agreeing to renew his contract until 2026.
News • 15 Nov 2021
University of Newcastle joins HEAL network to tackle health impacts of climate change
Australians will be better protected against the health impacts of climate change, thanks to the Healthy Environments And Lives (HEAL) network, with partners from across Australia, including the University of Newcastle, and $10 million in Federal Government funding.
News • 12 Nov 2021
MGA Thermal wins AFR Higher Education Award for research commercialisation
MGA Thermal, a spin-out company of our University, has been announced as the winner of the inaugural Research Commercialisation award from the 2021 Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards. Our University also topped the shortlist with three other nominations in multiple categories.
News • 12 Nov 2021
Resisting youth inactivity focus of funding success
Teachers from 90 high schools across New South Wales will be upskilled to tackle physical inactivity in students, following a significant National Health and Medicine Research Council (NHMRC) Partnership Program funding success led by University of Newcastle researcher, Professor David Lubans.
News • 08 Nov 2021
Green hydrogen feasibility study positions Port of Newcastle to drive a more diverse Hunter economy
Port of Newcastle and Macquarie’s Green Investment Group have launched a $A3 million feasibility study into the development of a green hydrogen hub at the Port that includes the backing of a $A1.5 million funding grant from ARENA, secured under its Advancing Renewables Program.
News • 08 Nov 2021
$4.5m in NHMRC Ideas Grants supports quest to improve human health
University of Newcastle researchers will explore new stroke prevention therapies, preterm birth interventions and a dual approach to breast cancer treatment with the support of $4.5m in National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Ideas grants
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.