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Community Engagement

STEPS engages stakeholders to transfer knowledge related to sustainable solutions for phosphorus management.

In STEPS, we refer to community engagement as knowledge transfer. STEPS Knowledge Transfer facilitates a multidirectional exchange of scientific and technical information across multiple sectors and diverse stakeholders. In particular, forward knowledge transfer occurs from researchers to outside communities (e.g., agribusinesses, agricultural workers, municipal water and wastewater treatment managers), while reverse knowledge transfer occurs from stakeholders into STEPS research to help guide and prioritize research directions

Knowledge Transfer occurs through 5 main assets:

  • Societal Engagement Partners
  • Technical Working Groups, connecting external stakeholders directly to STEPS researchers
  • The Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance, in which STEPS is a member
  • Agriculture Extension Services
  • Triple Bottom Line (TBL) sites

STEPS research outcomes are disseminated to diverse audiences through the STEPS website, presentations at international and national conferences (e.g., Sustainable Phosphorus Summit, Phosphorus Forum), and engaging students in Convergence Classrooms, which engages participants from diverse backgrounds on topics of phosphorus sustainability.

STEPS’ faculty are leading scholars in best practices for stakeholder engagement.

STEPS partners with leading phosphorus sustainability organizations.

Khara Grieger

KT Co-Director Khara Grieger is an Associate Professor as well as an Extension Specialist in Environmental Health & Risk Assessment at North Carolina State University. Her research focuses on developing best practices for risk assessment, risk analysis, and governance of emerging risks and new technologies. Her work also focuses on extending and translating complex knowledge to diverse stakeholders in order to inform decisions.

Learn more about Khara Grieger.
Khara Grieger headshot

Matt Scholz

Matt Scholz is a Research Professor in the Global Futures Lab and Senior Project Manager for the Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance. Scholz specializes in environmental systems, focusing on advancing phosphorus sustainability and translating technical science to policymakers and the public. His research links nutrient cycles to environmental challenges, including eutrophication, food system resiliency, and climate change. Additionally, he has contributed to circular economy research in areas such as plastics, textiles, and human/animal waste. His early research focused on maize genetics and biomass-to-biocommodity conversion.

Learn more about Matt Scholz.
Matt Scholz headshot
0219.Biodesign-Matt-Scholz


Photo by Andy DeLisle