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 • 08 Nov 2021
University of Newcastle and KPMG collaborate to build new tech hub in Hunter
The University of Newcastle and KPMG Australia have signed an agreement that will see the two organisations work together to create nearly 100 roles for graduates over the next five years, with the first cohort of new graduates commencing in February 2022.
News • 05 Nov 2021
2021 HMRI Awards for Research Excellence announced
The HMRI Awards are a celebration of the outstanding efforts and achievements of individuals and teams who drive and support the opportunities that health and medical research bring to the wellbeing of our community.
News • 05 Nov 2021
The University of Newcastle introduces new pathway to uni
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle, Professor Alex Zelinsky, has today announced a new alternative pathway to higher education.
News • 04 Nov 2021
Pioneers and innovators celebrated in 2021 Alumni Excellence Awards
One of Australia’s most highly regarded and influential engineers, an international social changemaker and trailblazers in STEM education, mental health …
News • 22 Oct 2021
University and Port to strengthen region’s future
The Hunter region’s growth, economic diversification and social cohesion are at the heart of a Memorandum of Understanding signed today between the University of Newcastle and Port of Newcastle.
News • 20 Oct 2021
Funding awarded to fight Australia’s single biggest killer
Six University of Newcastle researchers have secured more than $1million in Heart Foundation funding to research the causes, prevention, and treatment of heart disease, stroke and related conditions.
News • 11 Oct 2021
Name. Narrate. Navigate. A new way to combat youth violence
A significant funding boost will expand learnings from the Name.Narrate.Navigate (NNN) pilot program – a preventive-intervention program developed to address the significant, yet underserviced, issue of youth violence.
News • 07 Oct 2021
COVID-19 nasal spray moves to Phase 2 study
Encouraging preliminary results from an ongoing phase 1 study have triggered the announcement of phase 2 studies for a first-in-class nasal spray to protect people from respiratory viral diseases such as COVID-19 and influenza.
News • 16 Sep 2021
National research centre opens to secure minerals for the future
The University of Newcastle has congratulated research and industry partners at today’s official opening of a $35 million Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence focussed on transforming the minerals industry and securing a low-carbon future.
News • 14 Sep 2021
NHMRC awards $8.3m to Newcastle researchers to investigate global health problems
Three University of Newcastle researchers are set to analyse some of the world’s most critical health problems, supported by more than $8.3m in National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator grants.
News • 09 Sep 2021
Do you feel like you’re addicted to food?
A new study by researchers from the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) and the University of Newcastle will investigate treatments to assist individuals with addictive eating behaviours.
News • 08 Sep 2021
New study delivers answers about preterm labour
A team of researchers has discovered the process of labour during preterm birth is different from that of full-term birth.
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.