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
Alongside our P Week events, we are recognizing Graduate Student Appreciation Week! We’re sharing a special sound bite from scholar, Barira Rashid, on her contributions to phosphorus sustainability.
If you’re looking to expand your knowledge on phosphorus research, be sure to tune in to the PhosForUs Podcast at:
https://loom.ly/BWmW5Sc or https://loom.ly/t0keGoQ
#Pweek #GraduateStudents #Phosphorus
The celebration of P Week continues with our friends at the PhosForUs Podcast! 🎙️
This week’s episode, "STEPS Toward a P-Resilient World," is a must-listen for our community. Join STEPS Center leadership, Maude Cuchiara and Jacob Jones, as they reflect on the center`s vision and the growing importance of building a connected community around phosphorus sustainability.
Check out the latest episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! 🎧
#STEPS #PWeek #Phosphorus
Phosphate Rock is now a U.S. Critical Mineral, underscoring its irreplaceable role in our world!
As we celebrate the 15th element this week, we must remember it is a finite resource. By supporting better recycling and smarter use, we can secure this "element of life" for generations to come!
#ResourceSecurity #PWeek #CriticalMineralsList
Did you know that every spark of energy in your body is powered by phosphorus?
As we celebrate Phosphorus Week, we’re taking a closer look at how the human body utilizes Element 15. 🧬🦴
#Phosphorus #PWeek #Element15 #DidYouKnow
Level up your science trivia! 💡 We’ve rounded up four fascinating facts about the 15th element to kick off Phosphorus Week.
Join the celebration by sharing your favorite phosphorus fact in the comments! 🌱
#PWeek #Element15 #ScienceTrivia
In recognition of the 15th week of the year, we are proud to celebrate Phosphorus Week! 🌱💧🌎
Help us raise awareness for P-sustainability by sharing industry news and honoring the collective efforts of organizations working toward a more sustainable future.
#PhosphorusWeek #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
