The Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center has received nearly $22.5 million in renewed funding from the National Science Foundation. The NSF support will continue research and collaboration focused on phosphorus sustainability, including work by University of Florida scientists to address the nutrient’s role in sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.
Jehangir “Jango” Bhadha, an associate professor of soil, water and nutrient management in the UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water and Ecosystem Sciences, is the principal investigator. He said the renewed funding means they can build on five years of research, education, Extension and stakeholder engagement.
“STEPS brought together researchers from different disciplines to look at phosphorus sustainability from the perspectives of soils, crops, water and ecosystems,” Bhadha said. “Next, we can translate what we’ve learned into solutions that can benefit agricultural producers and the environment.”
Phosphorus sustainability challenges in Florida
Bhadha’s STEPS research addresses several aspects of phosphorus management:
- Legacy phosphorus dynamics in soils and sediments
- Technologies for phosphorus mitigation
- Biofertilizers and biostimulants as alternatives to conventional phosphorus fertilizers
- Farm-based best management practices to reduce phosphorus losses from agricultural lands
His group has contributed to research on phosphorus use efficiency, agricultural soil and water quality, and treatment technologies. Recent work includes examining ways to make phosphorus in agricultural soils more plant-available, potentially reducing dependence on additional fertilizer inputs.
“Florida provides an important setting for this work. We have both intensive agricultural production and sensitive water resources,” Bhadha said.
His lab is based at the UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center in Belle Glade, in the Everglades Agricultural Area.
Connecting research with producers and communities
A January 2024 retreat in South Florida brought together STEPS members with growers and representatives from state agencies, the South Florida Water Management District and conservation groups.
The UF team also conducted in-service training on phosphorus sustainability for Extension agents, faculty and staff and helped develop a six-module online training course. The team engages the public through the South Florida Fair and K-12 school tours, where members discuss agricultural stewardship and environmental protection.
In spring 2026, UF organized a workshop on Treatment Technologies for Phosphorus Mitigation, co-sponsored by STEPS and the NSF. More than 50 stakeholders attended, with an interest in connecting research with practical phosphorus management challenges.
“A major strength of STEPS is that it reaches people who need to use these technologies and practices,” Bhadha said. “In turn, they help us understand their challenges and guide our research on real-world phosphorus management.”
The recent designation of phosphorus as a critical mineral in the United States, along with Executive Order 14387 in 2026 recognizing elemental phosphorus as a critical material, adds another dimension to the research.
Effective phosphorus capture from water systems can, in some contexts, recover a finite and strategically important resource. The designation has increased interest in technologies that not only remove phosphorus but also recover it for beneficial reuse as fertilizer, potentially improving the economic viability of treatment technologies.
STEPS also provides opportunities for students and early-career researchers. Bhadha’s group has mentored five Ph.D. students, three postdoctoral researchers and six undergraduate research students, most of whom went on to enroll in graduate degree programs. The renewed NSF investment will allow UF to continue providing similar opportunities for interdisciplinary research and training.
STEPS Center research team
STEPS is headquartered at North Carolina State University, the lead institution for the project. The center’s renewed five-year award follows its initial $25 million NSF funding. STEPS was one of six NSF Science and Technology Centers launched in 2021.
The UF team’s co-principal investigators for the renewed STEPS Center award are:
- Sandra Guzman, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering
- Elise Morrison, assistant professor of environmental engineering sciences
- Juan Nino, professor of materials science and engineering
UF is one of the original STEPS partner institutions. Along with NC State, the other original partners are Arizona State University, Appalachian State University, the Joint School of Nanoscience and Engineering at North Carolina A&T State University, UNC Greensboro, Marquette University, RTI International and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. After the center was launched, Clemson University and the University of Arkansas became participating institutions.
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