Dr. Hartley was awarded $200,000 from the National Science Foundation to study the factors that limit forest growth in carbon dioxide-enriched air. Her research will focus on soil nitrogen dynamics in a Florida scrub oak forest site on Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge at Cape Canaveral. This forest has been treated with doubled carbon dioxide concentrations for the past 8 years. Dr. Hartley invites both undergraduate and graduate students to contact her to learn more about the research opportunities on this experiment. A NASA space shuttle is taking off in the background of Dr. Hartley's study site. This research is part of a $800,000 collaborative grant with scientists from Northern Arizona University and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.

Dr. McClain has received a 5-year grant from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to launch the Global Water for Sustainability (GLOWS) Program. This program will work to develop and implement integrated water resources management programs (IWRM) around the world. Pilot projects are planned for Peru and Tanzania, and any number of associate projects can be expected around the world. This is a Leader with Associates (LWA) award, which enables FIU to obtain non-competitive grants from USAID Missions anywhere in the world. Total funding for the program may surpass $27 million and it represents a major opportunity for FIU to strengthen and expand its expertise in water management research and training.

In GLOWS, FIU is the lead institution of a consortium that also includes the World Wildlife Fund, World Vision, LakeNet, and Amizade. Project activities will include a number of departments, centers, institutes, and faculty across FIU. It will also have a strong capacity building component that will bring graduate students from different countries to FIU for advanced training.