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.
The STEPS Partnership Program
STEPS REU Program
STEPS will support 15 students for ten weeks during Summer 2026 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.
A Roadmap to Phosphorus Sustainability
Donating to the STEPS Enhancement Fund this #DayOfGiving helps scholars like Imani innovate for a more phosphorus-sustainable future.
Your support provides the resources, research opportunities, and community needed to solve one of our planet’s most "hidden" environmental challenges. Let’s invest in the scientists who are engineering a food-secure world.
Support Imani and the STEPS using the link in our story!
#DayofGiving #STEPS #Phosphorus
🎉 Meet our March Scholar of the Month: Lucas Crane 🎉
Lucas is a fourth-year PhD candidate in Civil, Environmental, and Sustainable Engineering at Arizona State University, graduating this May!
His research focuses on the implementation of urine diversion systems to build a more circular nutrient and water economy. From community outreach with refugee families to analyzing the life cycle impacts of alternative protein systems with STEPS, his work proves that sustainable engineering is all about real-world impact. 💧♻️
We are so proud to highlight his dedication to innovative, community-scale solutions! By contributing to our Day of Giving, you directly support scholars like Lucas as they pioneer the research necessary to secure a phosphorus-smart and sustainable future!
Donate today using the link in our story!
#Sustainability #Phosphorus #DayofGiving
This Wednesday, March 25th, we are participating in NC State’s Day of Giving. Donations help the STEPS Center provide our scholars with the resources they need to excel in phosphorus sustainability research. When you give, you’re investing in the future of our water and food systems! ♻️💧🌱
#DayofGiving #PhosphorusSustainability #NCState
Calling all STEPS members! Join us in Belle Glade, FL, for our T2PM Stakeholder Workshop on April 21-22.
Whether you’re an expert or looking to dive deeper into the topic, your perspective as a stakeholder is exactly what we need.
Interested in the topic?
✅ Take the survey to help us design a truly impactful experience: https://loom.ly/yiJ0Cnk
✅ Register here to attend: https://loom.ly/_EJubAA
See you there! 📍
#PhosphorusSustainability #STEPS
While most wastewater technology focuses on what we need to remove, research by this team at the STEPS Center focuses on what we can reclaim. 💧🌾
Huge congratulations to Jiangfeng Xu, Jan Genzer, and Kirill Efimenko for engineering a practical way to close the loop on phosphorus sustainability. It’s exciting to see this research progress since being recognized as a budding invention by the 2025 Chancellor’s Innovation Fund at NC State!
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsaenm.5c00923
#STEPS #PhosphorusSustainability #Wastewater
🎉 Meet our February Scholar of the Month: Madison Horgan 🎉
Madison is a PhD student in Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University. Her research centers on sustainability assessments of emerging technologies, with a current focus on evaluating plant-based alternative proteins through a phosphorus-centric life cycle analysis.
She is passionate about advancing sustainable solutions that reduce environmental impacts without simply shifting them elsewhere. 🌱
#STEPS #PhosphorusSustainability #EnvironmentalEngineering
Meet our scholar, Chris Oates, a third-year PhD student in Biological and Agricultural Engineering at NC State University and a researcher with the STEPS Center. 💻📚
Chris uses water quality data to model water quality trends around the country. This information helps track how phosphorus impacts watersheds as it moves downstream. 📊 💧
His work provides valuable insights so that action can be taken to maintain the health of our water resources.
#WaterQuality #PhosphorusSustainability #STEPSCenter
Phosphorus is the backbone of our food systems. Whether extracted or reclaimed, it remains the essential energy currency our crops depend on. 🌱
Check out these 3 fast facts to learn more about this important resource!
#Phosphorus #PhosphorusFunFacts #PhosphorusSustainability
Meet our scholar, Britney Rickman, a PhD candidate in Materials Science and Engineering at NC State. 🥼🔬
Working with the Dr. Jacob Jones research group, Britney focuses on the design of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for high-efficiency phosphate adsorption.
Her work is critical for the recovery of lost phosphorus from streams so that it can be reused when and where it is needed most. ♻️🌱
#STEPSCenter #PhosphorusSustainability #Phosphorus
Are you an undergraduate student passionate about interdisciplinary science and environmental stewardship? The STEPS Center is still accepting applications for our undergraduate research program!
🎉 Meet our January Scholar of the Month: Barira Rashid 🎉
Barira is a PhD Candidate in Geosciences and Biological & Agricultural Engineering at the University of Arkansas. She is also the Vice-President of STEPS Scholar Leadership Council and currently manages the STEPS PhosForUs Podcast.
🔬 Barira studies how AI-driven remote sensing and geospatial tools can help us better understand where livestock infrastructure exists on the landscape and how it impacts nutrients, water quality, and environmental sustainability. She is especially interested in translating Earth observation data into decision-support tools for agricultural and environmental management.
🎉 December Scholar of the Month Spotlight: Alondra Deras Vazquez
🤩 We’re excited to celebrate Alondra Deras Vazquez as our December Scholar of the Month! Nominated by both a faculty member and a peer, Alondra is recognized for her leadership, research excellence, and community-centered engagement within the STEPS network. From welcoming visiting scholars at Marquette to advocating for peers and strengthening involvement through the Scholar Leadership Council, she consistently shows up as a thoughtful collaborator and community builder.
🔬 Alondra’s research focuses on using biomaterials, such as peptides, proteins, and enzymes, to enhance phosphorus removal from wastewater. She earned Best Poster Award recipient at the 2025 AEESP Conference, mentors undergraduate researchers, and will soon serve as Communications Coordinator for the Scholar Leadership Council. Her passion for phosphorus sustainability and commitment to collaborative science make her a standout STEPS scholar. Congratulations, Alondra!
