Chris presented his results in a poster entitled "Interpreting the hydrological history of an Everglades wetland through microscopic characterization of phytoliths" at the regional Science and Engineering Fair in Miami, FL where he received a Superior and Best Biological Project award. He was also acknowledged with an award from the Native Plant Society of South Florida. He was then invited to the state science fair where he was awarded a $40,000 scholarship to the Florida Institute of Technology. From there, Chris went to the International Science and Engineering Fair in Reno, NV where he received 2nd Place in Plant Science. In addition to a $1500 cash award, he was offered an internship with a leading phytolith researcher at the University of Nevada. FCE has received NSF RAHSS support to keep Chris' work supported through his senior year.

Second year FCE SLTER intern Ben Giraldo presented his poster entitled "Bacterial diversity indicies, enzyme activity, and soil CO2 flux along a soil P gradient in a coastal peatland, Panama" at the 54th Annual Florida State Science and Engineering Fair. Ben received "Third Place" in the state within the Environmental Division.

In June 2008, Dr. Laura Ogden (FCE Co-PI) participated in the US-China International Workshop on Long-Term Ecological Research in Urban Environments. American researchers from the Baltimore Ecosystem Study (BES), Central Arizona-Phoenix (CAP), and FCE LTER sites were invited by the Chinese National Academy to discuss urban ecology issues.
More information about the workshop from the Baltimore Ecosystem Study (BES) LTER website