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 • 04 Jun 2021
Former Deputy PM named 8th University of Newcastle Chancellor
The University of Newcastle Council has today announced that former Deputy Prime Minister The Hon. Mark Vaile AO will be the eighth Chancellor of the University of Newcastle.
News • 31 May 2021
OPINION: Recognising racism must be the starting place for reconciliation
The house I live in is on Guringai country. The backyard blends into the dense bush of the National Park. There is a bush track that leads up a steep hill to the ridgeline. The track leads to a marked Aboriginal site, where water still pools in grinding grooves.
News • 20 May 2021
ImmVirX raises $22 million for human trials
ImmVirX Pty Ltd has announced the successful completion of $22 million in fundraising, which will go towards first human studies of its new cancer treatment.
News • 13 May 2021
DadPlay: Tackling challenging behaviour in 3–5-year-olds
Australian fathers in rural, regional and remote areas, who are raising children aged three to five, with challenging behaviour, will have a helping hand through a new mobile-phone-based service.
News • 11 May 2021
Global leader appointed at University of Newcastle
The University of Newcastle has today announced the appointment of Professor Kent Anderson to the role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Global.
News • 07 May 2021
University awarded $2 million industry funding
The University of Newcastle’s Global Innovative Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials (GICAN), has today signed an agreement worth $2.119 million with InnovationClub Pty Ltd to further their research on plastic alternatives.
News • 04 May 2021
Scholarships to boost academic careers for 132 PhD students
The University of Newcastle today recognised the recipients of the prestigious Vice-Chancellor’s Training Priority Scheme, aimed at providing a pathway for Honours students to undertake a PhD and gain teaching skills to enhance their academic career prosp
News • 28 Apr 2021
University announces $4 million partnership in carbon capture and conversion
Researchers at the University of Newcastle have today received a grant for $4 million to further their work developing systems that capture carbon dioxide and either store it or convert it into low-carbon fuels and chemicals.
News • 28 Apr 2021
Queer Newcastle in the '50s to '80s – Your experience counts
Researchers at the University of Newcastle are seeking to uncover some of the hidden histories of relations between members of the LGBTQ+ community and police between 1950 and 1980.
News • 26 Apr 2021
Precision medicine could be all in the genes
A breakthrough in precision medicine has revealed existing medications and supplements could be repurposed to solve gaps in the treatment of chronic respiratory disorders such as asthma.
News • 21 Apr 2021
Hair reveals short, intense exercise sessions conquer school stress
For the first time, measuring the levels of the stress hormone Cortisol in the hair of senior school students has proven that short, high-intensity exercise significantly reduces stress and improves memory, overall wellbeing and fitness in adolescents.
News • 21 Apr 2021
University of Newcastle named the leading university partner for a better world
The University of Newcastle, Australia has been named #1 in the world for partnering for a more sustainable future in the 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings.
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.