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 • 07 Jun 2018
UON continues to move up QS World University Rankings
The University of Newcastle is now ranked 214th in the prestigious 2019 QS World University Rankings announced today.
News • 07 Jun 2018
Team of teen soccer robots represent Australia at World Cup
A team of teen robots, dubbed NUbots, are set to represent Australia at the RoboCup soccer world championships in Montréal.
News • 07 Jun 2018
From Taree to Tassie, telehealth nutrition intervention goes national
Hunter nutrition researchers are casting a nation-wide net with a tele-dietary intervention designed to help parents who are concerned about their child’s eating habits or weight.
News • 06 Jun 2018
Research capabilities on show in the Upper Hunter
New research projects and opportunities for industry collaboration will be showcased in Muswellbrook today at an event hosted by the University of Newcastle’s Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) Doctoral Training Centre (DTC).
News • 31 May 2018
Dodgy ankles? Could laser treatment help?
Living with ankle instability can have a major impact on people’s lives, with many sporting activities or everyday tasks causing worry about putting the wrong foot forward.
News • 31 May 2018
Transforming Newcastle into a restorative city
The University of Newcastle is leading the quest to transform Newcastle into a restorative city, in a collaborative effort to build healthy, harmonious communities.
News • 29 May 2018
Preventing chronic disease among people with mental illness
Increased support to prevent chronic disease in people with mental illness will be the focus of a $597,507 Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) investment for Australian researchers
News • 29 May 2018
City landmarks giving green light to a brighter future with HMRI
Several of Newcastle’s best-known buildings will be radiating green from May 29 as the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) celebrates national Medical Research Week while reflecting on its own 20th anniversary.
News • 28 May 2018
Nuclear medicine student scores scholarship abroad
University of Newcastle nuclear medicine student, Jack Berry, is destined for New York to chase his dream of becoming an oncology researcher.
News • 25 May 2018
Official celebrations of a landmark education facility
The University of Newcastle's $95 million NeW Space facility was officially opened today by Premier of NSW, Gladys Berejiklian and the NSW Minister for Education, Rob Stokes
News • 25 May 2018
eHealth program targets young people’s ‘big six’ behaviours to reduce chronic disease risk
University of Newcastle researchers have collaborated on a world-first eHealth initiative aiming to target young people’s ‘big six’ behaviours to help reduce their chronic disease risk.
News • 24 May 2018
FluTracking surveillance spreads across the Tasman
FluTracking, the highly successful online health surveillance system that helps detect epidemics of influenza throughout Australia, has expanded its reach across the Tasman to New Zealand for the first time this year.
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.