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 • 17 Jul 2019
Partnership will fund new research into preventing healthcare-associated infections
The University of Newcastle has partnered with global infection control specialists GAMA Healthcare to help fund new research into preventing and controlling infections in health and care settings.
News • 15 Jul 2019
New dual degree targets growing job opportunities in medical technology field
Professor Dr Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol of Thailand, and eight delegates, will visit the University of Newcastle today to signify a commitment to develop a new dual degree program between the University and Chulabhorn Royal Academy in Thailand.
News • 12 Jul 2019
New research highlights Australian music’s global export value and strong international success
The Australian music industry makes an estimated $195 million from international markets each year according to a ground-breaking report examining the cultural and economic value of Australian music exports.
News • 11 Jul 2019
25 Alumni Awards Achievers in 2019
The University of Newcastle is proud to announce its 25 achievers for the 2019 Alumni Awards.
News • 11 Jul 2019
Checking in on check-ups to help Close the Gap
An intervention designed to help Close the Gap, by increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who receive an annual health check by their GP, will be implemented and evaluated by a new National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) project.
News • 10 Jul 2019
Unique partnership transforming lives of people living with mental illness
Local not-for-profit Momentum Collective has teamed up with the University of Newcastle’s Department of Rural Health to help people recovering from mental illness rebuild their lives and connect to their local community.
News • 09 Jul 2019
Experts challenge WHO recommendations on saturated fats
University of Newcastle, Australia nutrition researcher Professor Manohar Garg is among a group of international experts who have questioned World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on reducing saturated fat consumption to curb chronic disease.
News • 03 Jul 2019
Schools Visit Day serves up a taster of University life
More than 2000 high school students from across the state experienced ‘a day in the life’ of a University student today, as the annual Schools Visit Day took place across Callaghan campus.
News • 21 Jun 2019
Fellowship to help reconnect stroke survivors with community
Stroke researcher Dr Heidi Janssen has received the Hunter Medical Research Institute’s first Women in Medical Research Fellowship (WIMRF) to develop a unique, community-based rehabilitation project using activities such as singing, dancing and art to stimulate patient recovery.
News • 20 Jun 2019
Trial to confirm insulin dose for fat and protein on blood glucose levels in people with diabetes
Those with diabetes have been carb counting to calculate meal insulin for a long time, but what about the impact of fat and protein on blood glucose levels?
News • 12 Jun 2019
Plastic ingestion by people could be equating to a credit card a week
A new study has revealed on average people could be ingesting approximately five grams of plastic every week, which is the equivalent weight of a credit card.
News • 04 Jun 2019
Altitude Accord scholarship winners announced
Lockheed Martin Australia (LMA), Regional Development Australia (RDA) Hunter and University of Newcastle are pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural Altitude Accord Scholarship as part of its partnership to help build an industry-skilled, homegrown Hunter workforce for the region’s growing
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.