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.

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

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.

Group photo.

Person at computer.

COE, the University of Newcastle Australia 5:43



Learn more


News • 03 Sep 2021

Advice and support for COVID-19 impacted HSC students 

With year 12 students preparing for one of the most disrupted HSC periods in history, a leading education expert provides advice for coping with exam pressure and cautions perceptions that an ATAR is the only path to university.

News • 27 Aug 2021

University announces more support for Year 12 students

The University has announced more support for this year’s Year 12 students, including COVID adjustment points.

News • 17 Aug 2021

Funding success supports early career research translate to real-world

Five outstanding University of Newcastle early career researchers have been successful in securing more than $2 million in the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) scheme.

News • 16 Aug 2021

Substantial grant awarded in the fight against ovarian cancer

Professor Pradeep Tanwar and his team have studied women with a family history of ovarian cancer to identify a blood-based protein biomarker that could help save the lives of millions of ovarian cancer patients around the world.

News • 04 Aug 2021

New approach to tackling mosquito-borne disease in the Hunter

New research to tackle one of Australia’s most prolific mosquitos, responsible for spreading most cases of Ross River virus, has commenced in the Hunter region of New South Wales.

News • 30 Jul 2021

Securing Australia’s economic future amidst global uncertainty

A significant funding boost for Australian researchers will help secure the nation’s economic future, regardless of the uncertain relations between global powerhouses China and the United States.

News • 22 Jul 2021

Design at the he(art) of $24M hub to advance personalised medicine

In a win for the nation’s personalised healthcare capability, the University of Newcastle has been announced as a key partner in the establishment of a new $24 million Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Hub led by the University of New South Wales.

News • 13 Jul 2021

World-first needle-free diabetes test

A world-first, pain-free diabetes test developed at the University of Newcastle could be in the hands of consumers following $6.3 million in funding to establish the first manufacturing facility for the device.

News • 09 Jul 2021

Cancer research gets $7 million boost in NSW regions

The Translational Cancer Research Capacity Building Grant will build an innovative cancer research network in the Hunter, New England, Central Coast and the Mid North Coast, led by Dr Craig Gedye.

News • 08 Jul 2021

SMS4dads support service secures regional rollout

Building on an impressive trajectory of parental intervention, the unique SMS4dads service has been successful in securing more than $2.5 million to support new fathers in rural and remote areas of Australia.

News • 08 Jul 2021

Medical Research Future Fund success for key health initiatives

Three University of Newcastle-led research teams have secured more than $3.5 million through the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund, bolstering the University’s commitment to better, healthier living within our regions and beyond.

News • 08 Jul 2021

Hunter people to benefit from local research into dementia tests and treatments

Two exciting new University of Newcastle research studies that will look to identify those most at risk of developing dementia and then attempt to delay or stop its development are underway in the Hunter New England region.