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 • 23 Jun 2020
Two-thirds of NSW students grouped out of STEM degrees
Students in Year 9 are being funnelled into mathematics pathways that limit their opportunities for STEM degrees and careers, according to a new paper published by University of Newcastle researchers.
News • 23 Jun 2020
Critical need to re-engage Indigenous students in school post COVID-19
The critical need to re-engage Indigenous students in school as NSW transitions out of pandemic restrictions has been the driving force behind a new set of tools and resources created for educators and teachers.
News • 16 Jun 2020
Roadmap laid out for next generation of crops for high productivity and resilience to climate change
A roadmap to engineer or breed the next generation of crops for high productivity and resilience to climate change has been laid out by a team of world experts.
News • 15 Jun 2020
University installs new electric vehicle charging stations
Electric vehicle charging stations have been installed at the University of Newcastle’s Callaghan campus in an effort to make sustainable transport more accessible.
News • 10 Jun 2020
University of Newcastle climbs into coveted Top 200 in the world rankings
In just one year, the University of Newcastle has climbed ten places to sit among the world’s Top 200 universities in the prestigious 2021 QS World University Rankings, results released today confirmed.
News • 05 Jun 2020
What’s blue and in trouble? World Oceans Day 2020
Monday, 8 June marks World Oceans Day and the theme this year is Innovation for a sustainable ocean – a theme that speaks to an amazing breadth and depth of activity at the University of Newcastle.
News • 05 Jun 2020
University of Newcastle and TAFE NSW join forces for stronger Hunter and Central Coast post-COVID recovery
The University of Newcastle and TAFE NSW have committed to strengthening their 30-year partnership to ensure people in the Hunter and on the Central Coast can maximise their education options and be seamlessly supported as they enter tertiary education, re-train or up-skill following COVID-19.
News • 01 Jun 2020
Major funding boost to explore the health impacts of recent bushfires
Researchers from the University of Newcastle, Hunter Medical Research Institute and Hunter New England Health have excelled in the latest round of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funding, attracting more than $860,000 to analyse the physiological and mental health effects of haz
News • 29 May 2020
Scientific honour for engineer transforming minerals processing
Chemical engineer Laureate Professor Kevin Galvin has been elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of mineral processing.
News • 29 May 2020
Could housing cooperatives be an affordable solution to Australia’s growing housing crisis?
A project investigating the benefits of housing cooperatives in Australia will receive a boost, with the help of an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage project worth over $590,000.
News • 28 May 2020
Newcastle researcher making a mark with a NASA satellite mission
After a highly competitive international selection process, Professor Shin-Chan Han and his satellite geodesy group based at the University of Newcastle has been selected for NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Follow-On mission.
News • 21 May 2020
University partners with nib to support students’ health and wellbeing
Hundreds of University of Newcastle international students impacted by COVID-19 have received health and hygiene care packages, generously donated by long-standing University partner – nib health funds (nib).
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.