Essential Element
Phosphorus is an essential element to life, underpinning many critical biological processes and driving the productivity and sustainability of global food systems.
The Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center is a convergence research community of diverse and leading scientists that addresses the complex challenges in phosphorus sustainability by integrating disciplinary contributions across the physical, life, social, and economic sciences. The STEPS vision is to facilitate a 25% reduction in human dependence on mined phosphates and a 25% reduction in losses of point and non-point sources of phosphorus to soils and water resources within 25 years, leading to enhanced resilience of food systems and reduced environmental damage.
A Roadmap to Phosphorus Sustainability
STEPS REU Program
STEPS will support 15 students for ten weeks during Summer 2025 through a multi-institutional Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program.
Multi-institutional Research Experience
Convergence research through a collaborative cohort project.
Projects that align research and career interests.
❓What do you get when you combine STEPS researchers, water resource recovery facilities, and convergence research?
💡Innovative data-driven approaches and co-creation of knowledge to improve process performance and efficiency!
Learn more about how STEPS works with important stakeholders in phosphorus sustainability: https://steps-center.org/2024/11/18/steps-wrrf-twg/
❓What do you get when you combine STEPS researchers, water resource recovery facilities, and convergence research?
💡Innovative data-driven approaches and co-creation of knowledge to improve process performance and efficiency!
Learn more about how STEPS works with important stakeholders in phosphorus sustainability: https://steps-center.org/2024/11/18/steps-wrrf-twg/
✨ Hey besties, our Gen Z intern is back at it—pop off, queen! ✨
#GenZ #GenZIntern #GenZEdit #nsfstories #fun
✨ Hey besties, our Gen Z intern is back at it—pop off, queen! ✨
#GenZ #GenZIntern #GenZEdit #nsfstories #fun
STEPS` Education team recently attended the NC Science Teachers` Association conference and introduced their latest ed tool: A phosphorus escape-box lesson for teachers! Read more: https://steps-center.org/2024/11/15/phosphorus-education-project-featured-at-nc-science-teachers-association-conference/
#nsffunded #nsfstories #STEMed #NCSTA24
STEPS` Education team recently attended the NC Science Teachers` Association conference and introduced their latest ed tool: A phosphorus escape-box lesson for teachers! Read more: https://steps-center.org/2024/11/15/phosphorus-education-project-featured-at-nc-science-teachers-association-conference/
#nsffunded #nsfstories #STEMed #NCSTA24
💥 STEPS researchers have published an important review:
"Biofertilizer Use in the United States: Definition, Regulation, and Prospects"
Key insights:
💡The term biofertilizer lacks a universally accepted definition
🌽 Defining biofertilizer is necessary for establishing a national regulation in the USA
📈 The biofertilizer market is growing fast, with the biggest market in the US
Read the full open access review at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00253-024-13347-4
#nsfstories #nsffunded
💥 STEPS researchers have published an important review:
"Biofertilizer Use in the United States: Definition, Regulation, and Prospects"
Key insights:
💡The term biofertilizer lacks a universally accepted definition
🌽 Defining biofertilizer is necessary for establishing a national regulation in the USA
📈 The biofertilizer market is growing fast, with the biggest market in the US
Read the full open access review at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00253-024-13347-4
#nsfstories #nsffunded
📣Publication Alert📣 STEPS researchers recently published “Multiple Data Imputation Methods Advance Risk Analysis and Treatability of Co-occurring Inorganic Chemicals in Groundwater”! This work represents a breakthrough in water quality monitoring.
❓Accurately assessing and managing pollutants in water is critical, but water quality data is often limited due to logistical and financial constraints on collection and analysis.
💡Using existing data, the research team used machine learning algorithms to predict what pollutants are in an area. From this, more accurate and precise monitoring and assessment decisions can be made.
#nsffunded #nsfstories #research #water #machinelearning
📣Publication Alert📣 STEPS researchers recently published “Multiple Data Imputation Methods Advance Risk Analysis and Treatability of Co-occurring Inorganic Chemicals in Groundwater”! This work represents a breakthrough in water quality monitoring.
❓Accurately assessing and managing pollutants in water is critical, but water quality data is often limited due to logistical and financial constraints on collection and analysis.
💡Using existing data, the research team used machine learning algorithms to predict what pollutants are in an area. From this, more accurate and precise monitoring and assessment decisions can be made.
#nsffunded #nsfstories #research #water #machinelearning
📣Publication alert!📣 STEPS Researchers recently published “Guidance on aqueous matrices for evaluating novel precipitants and adsorbents for phosphorus removal and recovery”!
❓ P removal & recovery from water is a critical component of creating a sustainable P cycle, but important differences across studies make comparing studies difficult. In addition, many test environments do not reflect the real world.
💡The goal of this paper was to advance the testing of novel materials for P removal & recovery from water by providing guidance on the development of more realistic aqueous matrices used during materials development.
#nsffunded #nsfstories #phosphorus #publication
📣Publication alert!📣 STEPS Researchers recently published “Guidance on aqueous matrices for evaluating novel precipitants and adsorbents for phosphorus removal and recovery”!
❓ P removal & recovery from water is a critical component of creating a sustainable P cycle, but important differences across studies make comparing studies difficult. In addition, many test environments do not reflect the real world.
💡The goal of this paper was to advance the testing of novel materials for P removal & recovery from water by providing guidance on the development of more realistic aqueous matrices used during materials development.
#nsffunded #nsfstories #phosphorus #publication
❓If you work in P sustainability, what`s a spooky #Halloween costume? 💧Harmful Algal Bloom!
Our HQ team had fun dressing up as harmful algal blooms and competing in a group costume content hosted by our Plant Science Building partners. While we didn`t win, we did scare people with our toxic algae! 😆
❓If you work in P sustainability, what`s a spooky #Halloween costume? 💧Harmful Algal Bloom!
Our HQ team had fun dressing up as harmful algal blooms and competing in a group costume content hosted by our Plant Science Building partners. While we didn`t win, we did scare people with our toxic algae! 😆
🎃 Happy Halloween! Did you know phosphorus plays a role in some of the spookiest halloween themes:
🦴Bones: About 85% of the phosphorus in the body is located in bones & teeth.
🟢 Eerie glows: Chemiluminescence is the chemical reaction that causes white phosphorus to give off an eerie greenish glow
🍬 Candy: candies containing peanut butter, chocolate, & fruit are high in P
#happyhalloween #phosphorus
🎃 Happy Halloween! Did you know phosphorus plays a role in some of the spookiest halloween themes:
🦴Bones: About 85% of the phosphorus in the body is located in bones & teeth.
🟢 Eerie glows: Chemiluminescence is the chemical reaction that causes white phosphorus to give off an eerie greenish glow
🍬 Candy: candies containing peanut butter, chocolate, & fruit are high in P
#happyhalloween #phosphorus
📖 STEPS in the community! Our Director of Science Communication Dr. Meagan Kittle Autry and scholar Hector Fajardo attended a book club to discuss The Devil`s Element by Dan Egan with the Raleigh community. We had a great time learning their thoughts about the phosphorus paradox and sharing about how our research is helping to make a difference. Thanks for having us, Wake County Public Libraries!
#bookclub #reading #phosphorus
📖 STEPS in the community! Our Director of Science Communication Dr. Meagan Kittle Autry and scholar Hector Fajardo attended a book club to discuss The Devil`s Element by Dan Egan with the Raleigh community. We had a great time learning their thoughts about the phosphorus paradox and sharing about how our research is helping to make a difference. Thanks for having us, Wake County Public Libraries!
#bookclub #reading #phosphorus
Last week, several of our scholars attended the Early Career Researcher Professional Development Workshop & #AccelNet Annual Meeting, funded by the @nsfgov ! While there they...
📚 Attended networking & learning opportunities
👥 Learned about a diverse set of career pathways
#NSFfunded #NSFstories #professionalnetworking #ECR
Last week, several of our scholars attended the Early Career Researcher Professional Development Workshop & #AccelNet Annual Meeting, funded by the @nsfgov ! While there they...
📚 Attended networking & learning opportunities
👥 Learned about a diverse set of career pathways
#NSFfunded #NSFstories #professionalnetworking #ECR
Last week, STEPS faculty Khara Grieger, PhD and Paul Westerhoff attended the Nano Safety Communities of Research (COR) meeting in Zurich! They serve as co-chairs of the COR, leading discussions with members from the EU and US related to risk and governance of nano and advanced materials. Khara and Paul are pictured here with their urine diversion display, a research area close to our hearts in STEPS!
#nanotechnology
Last week, STEPS faculty Khara Grieger, PhD and Paul Westerhoff attended the Nano Safety Communities of Research (COR) meeting in Zurich! They serve as co-chairs of the COR, leading discussions with members from the EU and US related to risk and governance of nano and advanced materials. Khara and Paul are pictured here with their urine diversion display, a research area close to our hearts in STEPS!
#nanotechnology
Did our millennial faculty and scholars understand the assignment? We think so!
#genz #intern #phosphorus #script
Did our millennial faculty and scholars understand the assignment? We think so!
#genz #intern #phosphorus #script
