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 • 06 Jul 2018
Alternate pathways for young people who have perpetrated violence
Researchers from the University of Newcastle have received $582,361 from the Australian Government to address interpersonal violence in the lives of young people.
News • 05 Jul 2018
Deep passion for the ocean inspires environmental graduate
Inspired by her love of the ocean and coral reef, University of Newcastle research student, Laura Bradbury, is on an exciting path to improve the environment for future generations.
News • 05 Jul 2018
Oral health graduate filling the gap in Indigenous communities
It was Jackie Cunningham’s first international placement in Cambodia with the University of Newcastle that solidified her decision to pursue a career improving oral health in disadvantaged communities.
News • 04 Jul 2018
Rethinking the narrative of climate change
An international symposium will combine academia, activism and the arts this week to ignite the imagination of the community and spark effective discussion about climate change
News • 02 Jul 2018
Children experience a taste of University life
Local school students will experience a taste of university life, exploring a variety of fields including nursing, engineering, cartoon drawing and psychology at the CU on Campus experiential learning day.
News • 02 Jul 2018
Prof Craig Pennell appointed Chair of Red Nose Group
University of Newcastle’s Professor Craig Pennell, is the newly appointed Chair of the Red Nose National Scientific Advisory Group.
News • 02 Jul 2018
Kids have healthier hearts due to new school program
Cardiovascular disease risk in kids due to poor aerobic fitness has been cut by more than half in primary schools using a new online physical activity training program for teachers.
News • 29 Jun 2018
Local Lions have a clear vision for funding research
When Associate Professor Sally McFadden spoke at Dungog Lions Club in 2016 about her long-term research working at solving the riddle of myopia, her words travelled to Mrs Carole Powell, Lions Australia 201N3 District Coordinator.
News • 29 Jun 2018
Historic buyout signals promising hope for global cancer therapy
World-leading pharmaceutical company MSD (Merck in the US), has acquired virotherapy firm, Viralytics, founded in Newcastle by Associate Professor Darren Shafren.
News • 28 Jun 2018
Ma & Morley Scholars recreate friendship’s historic encounter in China
When the paths of Chinese entrepreneur Mr Jack Ma and respected Novocastrian, the late Mr Ken Morley, crossed almost four decades ago, the encounter formed a lifelong friendship and shaped the teenage Jack Ma’s life journey.
News • 27 Jun 2018
Hunter president for new Oceania chapter
The Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) has recently established an Oceania chapter (SRNT-O) – and HMRI’s Professor Billie Bonevski is its inaugural founding President.
News • 26 Jun 2018
Pink Frangipani Ball blossoms hope for breast cancer patients
Current chemotherapy and radiation treatment options for breast cancer patients are grueling, and not all patients see positive results, however with funding raised from the 2018 Pink Frangipani Ball, Dr Nikki Verrills and her research team hope to develop rev
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.