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 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
News • 03 Jun 2019
Earthquake triggers urgent call to review sea level predictions
Major earthquakes can cause land to sink and sea level to rise at a pace greater than the threat of climate-related rise, and may continue for decades after, new research reveals.
News • 28 May 2019
Tapping into tradition for land management
University staff and students recently joined members of the local Broke community to participate in the rare immersive experience of a cultural burn.
News • 23 May 2019
Partnership to protect oceans from oil spills
A remediation programme to protect island ecosystems from damage caused by oil pollution from World War II wrecks sunk in the Pacific Ocean has launched in Newcastle Harbour.
News • 20 May 2019
Leading the defence against superbugs
A new multimillion-dollar project will develop an artificial intelligence (AI) surveillance system to better understand and tackle the cycle of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Australia.
News • 20 May 2019
WHO and Hunter researchers to fight global health problems
The World Health Organisation (WHO) will collaborate with Newcastle health researchers to drive the global efforts fighting non-communicable diseases, including …
News • 13 May 2019
Disaster Master the best ‘hack’ for resilience
Disaster Master, a mobile-based application that gamifies challenges based on real disaster situations to educate people on how to prevent, …
News • 13 May 2019
Noni Purnomo named Indonesia's Australian Alumnus of Year
Businesswoman, philanthropist and entrepreneur Noni Purnomo is the 2019 Australian Alumni of the Year.
News • 10 May 2019
Religious diversity key to social cohesion despite short-term challenges
While changes to religious diversity may lead to a short-term friction within communities, long term benefits are clear as society adjusts to multiculturalism, new research has shown.
News • 09 May 2019
New support will help pregnant Indigenous women quit smoking
A new multi-million dollar initiative will provide health professionals with additional training and resources to help support Indigenous women quit smoking during pregnancy.
News • 08 May 2019
A healthy gut can keep your lungs happy
A team of researchers from the HMRI Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases is focused on the benefits of eating fibre in people who have asthma.
News • 06 May 2019
Linkage Projects connect researchers to achieve real-world solutions
The University of Newcastle has been successful in securing more than $700,000 in the latest round of funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC).
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.