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 • 15 May 2018
University of Newcastle announces the best “hack” for aged care
Careflex - a web based system connecting person-carer dyads, service providers and health professionals with the aim of yielding personalised aged care outcomes and minimising administration time has been awarded the Best Tech Solution.
News • 15 May 2018
University of Newcastle students receive new Hunter Water Scholarships
Two University of Newcastle students have been awarded newly established Hunter Water scholarships, which offer financial assistance to help Indigenous students achieve their educational aspirations.
News • 14 May 2018
University of Newcastle supports international youth tours
The Newcastle Jets are proud to welcome the University of Newcastle (UON) as an official club partner, thanks to their support of upcoming international youth tours.
News • 13 May 2018
Mothering - It takes a village?
Mothering, and grand-mothering, have always been complex. Whether mothers, or not, women have also carried much of the responsibility for caring, within and beyond their families.
News • 11 May 2018
Nursing alumna transitions from pain to passion
Kaija Mitcheson overcame a debilitating illness to graduate from the University of Newcastle and pursue a career in nursing.
News • 10 May 2018
Laureate Professor Graeme Jameson joins global list of most outstanding scientists
University of Newcastle chemical engineer Laureate Professor Graeme Jameson AO has been honoured by one of the most prestigious organisations in the world – the Royal Society, which boasts a fellowship of 1,600 of the world’s most eminent scientists.
News • 07 May 2018
When you’re smiling, the whole world buys with you
The power of a genuine smile has been proven, with research from the University of Newcastle and Monash University showing a ‘genuine’ smile from a celebrity endorser can boost product likeability and even improve consumer attitude toward a celebrity
News • 07 May 2018
Putting breast cancer patients at the heart of treatment
Breast cancer patients will soon receive more precise and potentially life-saving radiation therapy thanks to a unique program being developed at Calvary Mater Newcastle.
News • 04 May 2018
Upper Hunter region receives bio-renewable boost
The NSW Government has announced $4.6 million in funding to construct the Hunter Pilot Biorefinery in Muswellbrook, which will host a revolutionary bio-renewable energy project supported by the University of Newcastle.
News • 02 May 2018
Engineering the future
Lumlertluksanachai Yotsapat (Art), a 2017 graduate of the Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (Honours) degree is an inspiring student.
News • 02 May 2018
Scientists unearth Port Macquarie Coastal Geotrail
More than 460 million years of history will be accessible for the community to explore when the Port Macquarie Coastal Geotrail, a collaborative project led by University of Newcastle researchers, is unveiled today.
News • 01 May 2018
Can you eat your way out of a migraine?
While specific foods can trigger migraines, researchers from the University of Newcastle and HMRI want to trial a new diet therapy and test whether it can help relieve or improve migraines.
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.