STC: Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center
The Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center at NC State focuses on developing new solutions for regulating, recovering and reusing phosphorus. With an interdisciplinary team of researchers, the Center aims to provide atomic-level knowledge of phosphorus interactions with engineered and natural materials, understand phosphorus mobility at varying scales, and prioritize best management practices and strategies. Through fundamental research, the Center hopes to generate new scientific understanding, facilitate new technologies, and ultimately, improve phosphorus sustainability.
Sponsor
National Science Foundation (NSF)
The grant—running from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2026—is for a total of $24,997,435.
Principle Investigators
Jacob Jones
Aziz Amoozegar
Douglas F. Call
John J. Classen
Owen Duckworth
More Details
The Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center is a convergence research hub for addressing the fundamental challenges associated with phosphorus sustainability. The vision of STEPS is to develop new scientific and technological solutions to regulating, recovering and reusing phosphorus that can readily be adopted by society through fundamental research conducted by a broad, highly interdisciplinary team. Key outcomes include new atomic-level knowledge of phosphorus interactions with engineered and natural materials, new understanding of phosphorus mobility at industrial, farm, and landscape scales, and prioritization of best management practices and strategies drawn from diverse stakeholder perspectives. Ultimately, STEPS will provide new scientific understanding, enabling new technologies, and transformative improvements in phosphorus sustainability.