The STEPS educational goal is to recruit, train, and graduate intersectional researchers who are prepared for the type of convergent research necessary to spur innovation and agile cross-functional collaborations. Specific STEPS objectives are to:

• Build students’ core technical knowledge across the STEPS domain space to enable participation in convergence research;
• Develop core competencies of high-performing teams and to impart evidence-based strategies and skills to work on problems at the boundaries between disciplines and sectors;
• Assess STEPS research education strategies to document the efficacy of a convergence research approach.

Achieving these objectives aligns with the Center-wide convergence strategies, rooting project work in the TBL Scenario framework, utilizing convergence boundary objects to link across TBL Scenarios and Convergence Themes 1-3, and including iterative program modification based on input from formal assessments.

STEPS Explorers Program

Each summer, the STEPS Explorers Program invites high school students to explore connections between STEM, the economy, community, and sustainability through interactive experiences.

Instructional Materials

Led by Prof. Gail Jones, STEPS has created a number of instructional materials focused on phosphorus sustainability. These activities can help educators integrate phosphorus concepts into their science curriculum. 

STEPS Student Leadership Council (SLC)

The SLC serves as a voice for STEPS students, both undergraduate and graduate, and is a vehicle for many student activities in the Center.

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