PhosForUs Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability

Phosphorus Week 2024 is a special occasion celebrated by the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center and the Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance (the Alliance). It commences on Monday, April 8th, coinciding with the 15th week of the year. During this week, we honor the 15th element, phosphorus, which plays a crucial role in sustaining life and ensuring global food security. In this episode, we reach out to Dr. Matthew Scholz to know more about Phosphorus Week and how we can contribute towards phosphorus sustainability. Join us as we celebrate the precious 15th element and its impact on our well-being!



To know more about how you can play a role in phosphorus management, check out the 12-step program for a more phosphorus-efficient you!


Here are the links to transcript and the background music.

Modern challenges of today create the need for more efficient and effective research to tackle them. By what means are we achieving this? Convergence research is how. It’s been elevated as one of the National Science Foundations 10 Big Ideas, and it is the foundation that the STEPS Center has been built upon. In this episode, we want to elaborate on the fine details of convergence research. We’ll investigate the technical definition, the reason it’s so important, and what it looks like in practice. As we do so, we’ll hear from several members of the STEPS community, researchers and scholars alike! By the end, we hope to provide a good understanding of what convergence research is, and why we appreciate it so much. 

Hosted by Alison Deviney and George Hotelling 

Featuring Jacob Jones, Jan Genzer, Shwetha Delanthamajalu, Jessica Deaver, Lucas Crane, Kim Bourne, Jay Rickabaugh, and Christine Hendren. 

NSF’s page on Convergence Research:  https://new.nsf.gov/funding/learn/research-types/learn-about-convergence-research#characteristics



Transcript



Link to the background music: https://pixabay.com/music/funk-energetic-funky-groove-138634/

The P flow diagram is a key aspect of STEPS convergence research, because it functions as a “boundary object” to connect researchers from many different fields. In this episode, we give a brief overview of what flow diagrams are, and then we talk to some of the researchers in STEPS about how they use the P flow diagram and what they like (and don’t like!) about it. We also hear from several students from the STEPS Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, about how they used the P flow diagram in their summer research.

Hosted by Ashton Merck; featuring Christine Hendren, Paul Westerhoff, Bruce Rittmann, Treavor Boyer, Anna Marshall, Olga Borquez, Jay Rickabaugh, Julianna Nieuwsma, Adrian Zenteno, Sarah Roza, and Alex Shaw.

Link to STEPS REU 2023 interactive P flow diagram (opens Prezi - large file)

Using a Phosphorus Flow Diagram as a Boundary Object to Inform Stakeholder EngagementMusic by Bensound and Pixabay.

As much as we need food to stay alive, our crops need phosphorus to keep growing. But how do we ensure a sustainable phosphorus supply to our agricultural lands? In fact, who ensures that sustainability? Who are the other stakeholders? Join us as we dive deeper into these questions with Dr. Dana Cordell, Research Director of the Food Systems research group at the Institute of Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, Australia and Dr. Jacob Jones, Director of STEPS.



Link to transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fwVeodSErVrwzPPRsaswAwbrlKvcO0GB/view?usp=sharing

Link to the background music: https://pixabay.com/music/funk-energetic-funky-groove-138634/

Phosphorus is a key element for life on Earth, but it can also have devastating effects on the environment when it accumulates in water bodies. In this episode, we explore the complex relationship between phosphorus and climate change, and how it affects the health of ecosystems. We are joined by three experts who share their insights and perspectives on this topic: Phil Haygarth, a professor of soil and water science at Lancaster University, UK; Laura Johnson, director of the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University, US; and Patricia Glibert, a professor of marine science at the University of Maryland, US. They discuss the sources and impacts of phosphorus pollution, the challenges and opportunities for managing phosphorus in a changing climate, and the potential solutions.  Join us as we delve into the complex and urgent issue of phosphorus and the climate crisis.

Link to transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16cP12ECFi1qIoPL-yojwnfK6M8G1hOoV/view?usp=drive_link

Link to the background music: https://pixabay.com/music/funk-energetic-funky-groove-138634/

The Science and Technology for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) center is a recently created convergence research center, that is addressing the complex challenges around phosphorus sustainability with an interdisciplinary group of researchers coming from diverse scientific areas. In this episode, we talk to the director of the STEPS center, Dr. Jacob Jones, about the 25-in-25 vision of the center, convergence and transdisciplinary research, stakeholder engagement and more. All having phosphorus sustainability as the main point. Join us as we take a look at the fascinating world of phosphorus.

Link to transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XCWLslkO5xjaZmJhE5JUZinvyBqtn_gq/view?usp=share_link

Link to the background music: https://pixabay.com/music/funk-energetic-funky-groove-138634/

Mentioned links:

1.  STEPS center website: https://steps-center.org/

2. Phosphorus flow diagram: https://steps-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/image.png

3. 12 steps to be more sustainable: https://phosphorusalliance.org/what-can-i-do/