Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center
The Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center, an academic research center sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation, addresses key knowledge and technology gaps in P sustainability through convergence research that integrates disciplinary contributions across the physical, life, social, and economic sciences with stakeholders across sectors and scales. Research within the STEPS Center draws from atomic and molecular insights (e.g., chemistry, materials research, biochemistry, bioengineering) to develop materials and technologies that are deployed at the human scale (e.g., environmental and agricultural engineering, plant biology, crop and soil sciences) while considering supply-chains, life cycle, and other regional and global issues (e.g., ecology, economics, sociology, policy). STEPS further supports research projects that transcend length scales (e.g., science of team science, informatics and AI, education research, outreach).
As a U.S. leader in P sustainability, STEPS produced an initial roadmap for P sustainability in the U.S. in 2023 by convening stakeholders in working groups and will update the roadmap in future years. STEPS also recently launched a Partners Program to grow the community both within the U.S. and internationally and to facilitate outreach, technology transfer, and commercialization. By joining ESPP, we aim to grow our networks and to enhance phosphorus sustainability globally.
Contacts
Website: https://steps-center.org/
