Science Circle

Gender and Race in Science
2022-02-26 21:00 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fireside
Gender and Race in science
Underrepresentation and disparities in treatment within the STEM fields are topics that are more liberally discussed in the modern age. I derived my interest for this topic from the movie: Hidden Figures (2016), which portrayed the brilliance of African American female mathematicians working at NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in the midst of the space race. Circumstances may have improved but gender and racial underrepresentation and varying levels of success between different groups remains an issue. Are these products of stereotyping or ineffective policymaking or does society just need time?

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Classical Concert
2022-02-27 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-03-06 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-03-13 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-03-20 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-03-27 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-04-03 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-04-10 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-04-17 07:00 - 08:00 | The Lighthouse Café

Geology and Palaeontology of Greece
2022-03-05 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Geology and Palaeontology of Greece
This is a sequel presentation to my talk on the role of Greece in Math and Science. Greece has a complex geologic history of plate tectonics, volcanism, earthquakes, gems, and rocks. This history has played a role in Greek civilizations like the Minoans as well as their architecture and sculptures. Over 10,000 fossils have been found in Greece of organisms that have existed over the last 430 million years. I will start with the enigmatic conodonts, then proceed to discuss diversity changes over the Phanerozoic including the rise of mollusks, fish, and eventually mammals in the Cenozoic. Some of these are poisonous to humans.
By: Dr. William Schmachtenberg – Dae Miami

Dr. William Schmachtenberg

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Our Local Wildlife
2022-03-05 21:00 - 22:00 | Fireside
Our Local Wildlife
In observation of World Wildlife Day; we invite you to share stories/memories of animals from your local wildlife, be they good or bad, irritating or not!

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A Political Geographer's Perspective on Ukrainians and Their Territory
2022-03-12 09:00 - 10:00 | Auditorium
The purpose of this presentation is to provide a brief overview of the Ukrainian people as a “nation,” their historic aspirations to “statehood,” and their relationship with Russian empires. It should come as no surprise that the Ukrainian geographical and historical narrative is more complex than that offered by Vladimir Putin. The talk is based on Dr. McBride/Johnson’s four decades of teaching political geography to university juniors/seniors/graduate students.
A presentation by Merrill Johnson/Meryl McBride, Ph.D.

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What's In Our Water: The Science of Water Quality and Testing
2022-03-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Liquid water is so essential to life as we know it that when we look for life beyond our planet we always look for water. What is it about water that all life on Earth needs it?
What is ‘pure’ water? Is water without anything in it safe to drink? What is the difference between distilled, filtered, and purified water?
What substances may be found naturally in water? What is the difference between contaminants and pollutants and what are their sources?

The Hydrologic Cycle

From where do we get the water we use? What kinds of tests are conducted to measure the quality of that water? How often should these tests be conducted? What is the science behind different kinds of water quality tests?
How is the quality of water determined? What are the health limits for different organisms of having different natural and introduced substances in the water in which they live or drink? Who determines these limits?
What are the human health effects of having certain substances in the water we use for recreation or consumption?
Come join us to have these questions answered and hopefully answer others you may have about the life-sustaining substance we call water.
Presentation by Dr. Phil Youngblood

Dr. Phil Youngblood

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How has freedom of speech or press, helped or hampered science?
2022-03-12 21:00 - 22:00 | Fireside
How has freedom of speech or press, helped or hampered science?
“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” -George Orwell
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” -S.G. Tallentyre, The Friends of Voltaire

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On Expectation and Prediction of Events
2022-03-19 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
ON EXPECTATION and PREDICTION OF EVENTS
with PROOF THAT LARGE NUMBERS RULE eventually…
Every event, and configuration of events in the Universe is something of an accident arising from RANDOM arrangements, and secondarily, self-organizing complexity can occur.
Biological evolution has selected for increasingly intricate and efficient neuro-processing by which living things can fulfil basic needs required for survival
– self-preservation by avoiding or coping effectively with harmful environment situations
– self-sustenance by finding energy sources (nutrition), water, safe shelter
– propagation of the species by finding mates for bisexual reproduction.

Organisms that are less competent in any of the above are LESS LIKELY to live long. It is evident that animals without abstract, spoken language still respond to their environments intelligently, assessing situations in making choices. Further, animals clearly hold EXPECTATION for certain outcomes based on experiential pattern recognition – in other words, even animals display the ability TO PLAY THE ODDS.
So what would happen if random events repeated indefinitely never came to anything more than a random outcome? What would exist in a treacherously UNPREDICTABLE WORLD?
In other words, what if we lived in a Universe in which EXPECTATION did not exist?
Meaningful, interpretable outcomes from any process would not emerge. There would be no evolution, no PREDICTABLE quantum orbitals in the atom, no certainty nor recognizable uncertainty, and NO SCIENCE WITH SCIENTIFIC INTERPRETATION OF DATA would be possible.
“As fortune would have it”, all of us DO live in a Universe in which we can look for EXPECTATION that most processes generally do have predictable outcomes. We live in a Universe in which the CASINO ALWAYS WINS – in a sense,
WE LIVE IN THE CASINO UNIVERSE.
Probability Theory is an important discipline of mathematics, as well as Decision Theory and Game Theory. Without applied Probability Theory which is inextricably related to Statistics and evaluation of DATA, Science would have rigour limited to verbose, qualitative explanations of “ALTERNATIVE FACTS” and much hand waving.
Consider the simplest model for an experiment: the toss of a fair coin (50% Heads and 50% tails outcome per toss) – the EXPECTATION of outcomes seems obvious. But WHY will the end result PROBABLY approach the intuitive EXPECTED OUTCOME more and more closely as you toss the coin again and again?

In this presentation, we will draw on the work of mathematicians: Jacob Bernoulli, Pafnuty Chebyshev, Andrey Markov, Andrey Kolmogorov, and others to show under what terms we can PROVE that an EVENT REPEATED WILL PROBABLY APPROACH AN EXPECTED VALUE EVENTUALLY without which, Science would make no sense at all.
Robert Hendrix, a.k.a. Tagline

Presentation by Robert A. Hendrix, M.D.
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Our ideal Virtual World
2022-03-19 21:00 - 22:00 | Fireside
Our ideal Virtual World
“Virtual reality promises a kind of transcendence of the limits of physical reality.” -Frank Biocca, Taeyong Kim & Mark R. Levy.
“VR will become something everyone wants before it becomes something everyone can afford.” -Lucky Palmer

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Men & Women & Etc.
2022-03-26 10:00 - 11:00 | The Lighthouse Café
Biology, socialization, culture, economics, and the internet all influence our perceptions and experience of our gender. Let’s talk about it!
A discussion hosted by Matt Burr at the Light house Cafe

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Forests
2022-03-26 21:00 - 22:00 | Fireside
Forests
“Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.” -Hal Borland

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Opening VWBPE with Arisia Vita
2022-03-31 07:00 - 08:00
Warm Up with Classical Music with Ari
Time to socialize and network with friends, old and new! Come enjoy the lovely classical piano music of Ari (Arisia Vita). At many events he noticed the presence of a piano and it occurred to him that as long as he appeared to be playing, he could make the illusion seem even more real. Ari strives to find musical selections and performance styles for all to enjoy.

VWBPE: What’s Up at the Lab?
2022-03-31 11:00 - 11:50
Interviewer: Kevin Feenan (RL) Phelan Corrimal (SL), VWBPE Director; Rockcliffe University Consortium
Invited Speaker: Patch Linden
Join Phelan and Patch at this Above the Book interview as they explore what’s new at Linden Lab and the impact on educators and non-profit organizations in Second Life.
Accessibility: Voice to text transcription
Locations:
Auditorium – Area 52: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VWBPE%20Lacerta/238/247/1394
Auditorium – Norgannon: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VWBPE%20Monoceros/13/240/1397
Auditorium – Skywall: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VWBPE%20Cetus/244/6/1395

VWBPE: Immersive methodologies for school and museum tours
2022-04-01 09:30 - 10:20
Speakers: William Schmachtenberg / Dae Miami
Schools frequently do field trips in real life to museums, but with the recent focus on online learning due to COVID, why not take students on a virtual world tour to a museum or a field trip to the Cretaceous and see amazing dinosaurs in their habitat. These tours can be done using pcs, in virtual reality, or even on a chromebook! This presentation will focus on the work I have done to bring exhibits at the Virginia Museum of Natural History alive in virtual worlds.

Participants will see how virtual worlds can be used to create immersive experiences for virtual field trips.

Accessibility: Provide a written script
Location: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VWBPE%20Aquila/165/211/1419

VWBPE: Virtual teaching tactics to help a divided world
2022-04-02 11:00 - 11:50
Speaker: Steven R. Van Hook / Kip Roffo, Educare Research Inc.
Virtual World learning may provide immersive hand-on experience for engaging students and offering a sense of place and belonging so important to student success and retention in online education. This presentation covers: evolution of virtual world learning, academic necessities for learning alternatives, socioeconomic drivers, fulfilling student desires for immersive experience, benefits of experiential learning, sample in-world learning centers, and more.

Participants will share in efforts to attract reluctant educators to VWs

Accessibility: Speakeasy HUD tool
Location: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VWBPE Vulpecula/203/188/1467

VWBPE: Proposed Cybersecurity Curriculum from K-12 to 4 year degrees
2022-04-02 14:00 - 14:50
Speakers: Myron Curtis / Darkeagle Darkstone, California Community Colleges; Keith Clement
California’s Cybersecurity Taskforce’s Education Subcommittee has developed and is promoting Cybersecurity Curriculum that starts in K-12 and progresses through Community Colleges to the 4 year Universities. It includes badges, certificates, and degrees.
Since the world needs trained professionals in this field, and Virtual Worlds are poised to provide ideal platforms for providing the training they need, VWBPE is the perfect place to present the curriculum pathways we have developed.

Participants will be able to access critical curriculum in Cybersecurity

Accessibility: Speakeasy HUD tool
Location: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VWBPE Vulpecula/203/188/1467

Reflecting on VWBPE
2022-04-02 21:00 - 22:00 | Fireside
Reflecting on VWBPE
VWBPE has finished for another year, today you’re invited to come and reflect on it. Tell stories of presentations or collaborations you have done for it in the past, share favorite moments. Talk about your hopes for it’s future. Maybe you have ideas to improve it?

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Galaxy Formation
2022-04-09 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Galaxy Formation
Galaxies are the basic building blocks of the universe at large scales, and understanding of their formation and evolution is one of the major goals of cosmology. I will describe our theoretical picture of the early galaxy assembly, the first stars and black holes, and the observational evidence that we have. James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) may help us learn more about these processes.
George Djorgovski (RL) = Curious George (SL)

Professor S. George Djorgovski

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Autism
2022-04-09 21:00 - 22:00 | Fireside
Autism
“If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” -Dr. Stephen Shore.
“Autism . . . offers a chance for us to glimpse an awe-filled vision of the world that might otherwise pass us by.” -Dr. Colin Zimbleman, Ph.D.

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Second Life vs The Metaverse
2022-04-16 10:00 - 11:00 | The Lighthouse Café
When Facebook announced Meta and touted its VW platform that somehow integrates with the real world, many pointed out that a lot of its features were old hat in Second Life. Although FBs partnership with Linden Labs for the Sansar VR platform has been abandoned, it seems clear the experience with Sansar informed FBs stategic thinking. The pandemic increased interest in other cyber domains such as Minecraft, Open Sim, and even Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley. Let’s hash all this out and see where we think future lies for virtual worlds.

A discussion hosted by Matt Burr at the Light house Cafe

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Human Spaceflight
2022-04-16 21:00 - 22:00 | Fireside
Human Spaceflight
“Space is for everybody. It’s not just for a few people in science or math, or for a select group of astronauts. That’s our new frontier out there, and it’s everybody’s business to know about space.” -Christa McAuliffe.

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The Dynamic Geology of Asia-Oceania
2022-04-23 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
The Dynamic Geology of Asia-Oceania
The dynamic geology of the Asia-Oceania region might be viewed as a metaphor for the history of the area itself. While living in harmony with earth, water, fire, and air during tranquil times, each generation is reminded of the tension and power inherent in these elements, in the form of earthquakes, violent seas, volcanoes, and typhoons, just as they are aware of the tension and power of the human forces in the area.
UPDATE: This area is just as dynamic as ever! Included will be information about the volcanic eruption near Tonga in January 2022 and the Fukushima earthquake in Japan in March 2022.
While we will concentrate on geology this hour, it is difficult not to look at geography as well, that is, the relationship of people to the land. The Asia-Oceania region is a complex array of blends and contrasts. Just as it hosts some of the oldest and youngest physical features, plus the tallest and deepest points on Earth today, the land was also host to some of the earliest and most recent human origins, plus some of the oldest and youngest human cultures.
EARTH. We will start with the tectonic forces that formed the area and that continue to slowly move beneath the land, remaining tranquil for the most part until upheaval and slippage lead to jarring events that transform both the life of the Earth and the lives of the people who live there. The numerous plates that make up the area continue to move, throwing up mountain chains that affect the region’s climate, as well as submerging whole continents such as Zealandia. The land of the region hosts bounties that support the world’s most populous and densely populated areas, but also can challenge their lives.
WATER. On the continents, towering mountain ranges and imposing deserts separate peoples, but mighty rivers bring them together. In the Pacific and Indian oceans, water both separates but also enables peoples to be a community. When earth and water combine to form tsunamis, the region’s shallow seas can exacerbate their destructive effects, but water so near land also provides climates that support the abundant plant, animal, and human life. While the rise and fall of the seas created passageways for early humans, the shallow seas that were once land hide a wealth of resources that create political tension in the area today.
FIRE. The ‘fire’ deep below the ground is the driver of the tectonic forces that shaped the Asia-Oceania region. There are more volcanoes in this region than anywhere on Earth, and when earth and fire combine in spectacular volcanic events, these forces can both destroy and create at the same time, including adding new land and creating the fertile soils that support the human populations that farm them.
AIR. Like the other elements, the air can seem remarkably tranquil, until it combines with water to create swirling storms that can wreak havoc on the land. And it is not always the combination of elements that create and destroy but also the absence of one or the other, such as when air contains too little water, leading to desertification, dust storms, and fires that sweep across areas with tinderbox conditions.
Join me as we explore the dynamic geology of the Asia-Oceania region, the harmony and tensions inherent in the earth, water, fire, and air that are influenced by it, and how this affects the lives of the people who live there.
Presentation by Dr. Phil Youngblood

Dr. Phil Youngblood

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Mother Earth Day
2022-04-23 21:00 - 22:00 | Fireside
Mother Earth Day
“The Earth is what we all have in common.” -Wendell Berry
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead

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