Science Circle

"Student Virtual World Science Projects in Sine Space"
2018-06-09 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Auditorium
Members here at Science Circle regularly attend our meetings for online discussions and collaboration. On June 9, I will discuss my attempts to get my students to collaborate and work together online. Sine space seems to provide the online networking in a safe networked environment we need. One of my students has created a space colony for Europa, and another has created a geological simulation called Eagle Rock, based on an actual area in Virginia. The creator of the sims can control who has access to the sim and can even delete it if so desired.
An optional field trip will be given at the end of the lecture. Details on how to log in will be giving at the end of the lecture. These sims can be accessed with a web browser and a guest account. Although the sine space client for pc and an account is recommended at https://sine.space.

Take a Virtual Geology Field Trip to Eagle Rock, Virginia!
by Dr. William F. Schmachtenberg (Dae Miami SL)
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Interactive tour of Brodmann's Brain
2018-06-01 07:00 - 08:00 | Brodmann’s Brain
Join us for an interactive tour of Brodmann’s Brain! Within this giant cortex we can see and stimulate the fMRI mapped areas which correlate to fear, desire, love, coordination, meditation, speech, and more!
This model and others being developed provide a platform for exciting educational opportunities in biology, psychology, and health, behavioral, and social sciences. Sponsored by Whole Brain Health on Inspiration Island, featuring brain research post-doc OsanGar, Thuja Hynes and Lissena Wisdomseeker.
Previous work from Lynne Berrett (Lissena Wisdomseeker) in the Library
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Tumblin' Dice - Probability Theory & Statistics...
2018-05-26 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Tumblin’ Dice – Probability Theory & Statistics as a basis for Modern Science
Probability Theory & Statistics represent something very basic to human existence and are indispensable to scientific rigor. This presentation will survey some of the stepping stones that form the basis of computational mathematics commonly used in analysis of data from experimentation. This includes some mathematical history and some set theoretic considerations for basic statistics with emphasis on discrete sample (outcome) space.
By Tagline (Guest speaker)
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"The Anthropocene Epoch"
2018-05-19 10:00 - 11:00, 2018-05-19 06:00 - 07:00 | Auditorium
There is a saying that in English goes, “One cannot see the forest for the trees.” The traditional meaning is that it is difficult to see the bigger picture if you cannot see beyond your own little part in it. So it goes with seeing the bigger picture of global changes because we live on such a small part of our planet, and for such a relatively short time.
In March 2008, The Science Circle officially began its tradition of presentations of a variety of science topic with “The Anthropocene Epoch.” Ten years later, we will again explore the concept of geological epochs and evidence that humans have had such a significantly high impact on our planet that we are even now leaving evidence in rock and ice layers, in the atmosphere, and in the fossil record, that will be evident thousands and millions of years from now.
Some of the questions we will explore are: “How has the Earth changed over its history?”
“What caused those changes?” “What was the impact and how long did it last?” “How do we know?” “What natural changes are occurring right now on Earth?” “How are humans changing our planet and by how much?” “Are humans the only living things changing the Earth?” “What are the possible short and long-term consequences of our activities?” “Is there anything we can do about it?”
This is a subject that is having an impact on every one of us for centuries to come. Come join us!
Phil Youngblood / Vic Michalak

— Phil Youngblood
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"Stephen Hawking's Last Paper... "
2018-05-05 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Photo: NASA

“Stephen Hawking’s Last Paper: his and other theoretical cosmologist’s ideas about the multiverse”
More information soon!

— Rob Knop
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Catalysis in Wonderland: An SL presentation of classic transition-metal chemistry.
2018-04-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Abstract:
Organic chemistry tends to follow certain rules. Starting in the 1950’s, we began to find ways that transition metals (e.g. chromium, iron, nickel, rhodium, gold and many others) could bend the rules of classic organic chemistry and facilitate chemical transformations which would otherwise be onerous. One example of the utility of transition metals as applied to organic chemistry is in catalysis, i.e. the transformation of starting materials into products through an easy-to-traverse sequence of steps. Today, catalysts mediate a wide range of reactions, from improving the quality of air (e.g. catalytic converters) to the production of plastics, medicines and other chemical transformations. In this talk we will cover the basics of “organometallic” catalysis reactions such as “oxidative addition”, “insertion”, and reductive elimination. We will use these steps to illustrate how a metal can catalyze a reaction without itself being changed, through lecture and scripted objects. What we have learned about catalysts which dissolve has helped us to understand how metal surfaces mediate similar transformations.
Dr. Michael J. Shaw,
Distinguished Research Professor

— Mike J. Shaw
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"Insights from Genes and Genomes"
2018-04-22 08:00 - 09:00 | Auditorium
Photo Wikipedia
“Updating Darwinian Evolution Part I: Insights from Genes and Genomes”
Darwin’s Theory of Evolution was a landmark event in science, providing an explanation for the origin of the diverse lifeforms on the Earth. Notably, it was largely a construct of deduction from observations. In the over 150 years of the existence of this theory, scientists have provided the nuts and bolts of how evolution works. Notable discoveries include DNA and how it encodes genes, how genes lead to characteristics, the ability to compare genomes, and experimentally measure population dynamics. What Darwin Never Knew (PBS 2009) covers some of the molecular examples of how evolution works. This presentation will summarize the key examples from the documentary. You are welcome to watch the documentary in advance and ask specific questions; however, the talk is designed for those unfamiliar with the documentary topics.

The first talk will be based on “What Darwin Never Knew”.
Watching before hand will be good but not necessary.

Dr. Stephen L. Gasior
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The Fascinating World of Elon Musk 2
2018-04-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Elon Musk: Man With a Purpose
We asked Science Circle students what topics they would like to hear and Elon Musk was one request. Well, I was curious also, so this coming Saturday your request is granted!
Elon Musk is one of the richest and most powerful men in the world. Who is he and how did he get where he is today? What drives him to do what he does? What will he do next? Of course we could never really know unless we asked him directly (anyone know if he has a SL avatar?), but we can speculate on answers to these questions from what he has told others and what he has done in the past.
Come explore what I was able to find out about this fascinating person and his world, about his past projects (Zip2, X.com, and PayPal), current projects and how they work (Tesla & SolarCity, SpaceX, The Boring Company & Hyperloop, and Neuralink & OpenAI), and about what is next!
Phil Youngblood / Vic Michalak

— Phil Youngblood
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The Fascinating World of Elon Musk
2018-04-14 07:00 - 08:00 | Auditorium

"The First Stars"
2018-04-07 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Photo: NASA
Abstract:
The Universe began in a hot and dense state. After ten minutes or so, the elements had formed, and for the next few hundred thousand years the Universe was filled with hot plasma, expanding and cooling. The Universe was opaque; any light emitted would be scattered or absorbed before it could travel far. Then came a transition, when the Universe went from plasma to neutral gas, and at the same time became transparent. After that were the aptly-named “dark ages”, for nothing was emitting light. Some few hundred million years after that, the very first stars in the Universe formed. None of these stars, we believe, is still around today, and observing their effects (either directly or indirectly) is very challenging. However, a number of observations have told us things about the epoch when stars first formed in our Universe, and it remains a major goal of cosmology to learn more about the nature of these stars.
In this talk, I’ll outline the relevant history of the Universe, and tell you what we know and believe about the very first stars.

— Rob Knop
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“Mitochondrial Eve”
2018-03-31 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Abstract
Variations in the sequence of mitochondrial DNA can be used to identify human lineages and mark human migration patterns. In 1987, mtDNA samples from 147 women were compared and used to infer the sequence and origin of the mitochondria of the common ancestor of all humans. The popular press and science writers were quick to name this common ancestor “Mitochondrial Eve.” What has the continued study of human mitochondrial sequences told us about our origin and history?
M. A. Clark (aka Max Chatnoir)
Mary Anne Clark
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Slartist@UWA Machinima Challenge - Awards Ceremony
2018-03-25 06:00 - 07:00
The theme of the SLartist@UWA Machinima Challenge (L$430,000 prize pool) was ‘ART OF THE ARTISTS.’ We encouraged connections and collaborations between 3D artists and machinima makers. Any artworks that sit on the UWA Sims in Second Life, including artworks created when the sims themselves were created in 2009, could be selected to feature in the machinimas. Filmmakers could choose individual artworks or a collection of artworks around which to weave a story. The artwork(s) needed to be a relatively significant part of the story, and not merely something glimpsed in passing. Read more…

"Astrobiology and the search for microbial life"
2018-03-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Photo ESA
Introduction to astrobiology and the scientific search for evidence of microbial life beyond Earth, especially on moons in the solar system. Review, with questions welcome, the very real and exciting possibility of finding such life in the fairly near future, and its far-reaching implications. For a general audience, brief discussion of key basic principles in areas of microbiology, physics and chemistry that drive, inform and focus the search.

— James Woods
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Meta Manifesto: Think Tank 4 Effective Tactics
2018-03-17 14:00 - 15:00
Presenters:
Kae Novak/Kavon Zenovka (Avatar)
Educators and Trainers
Cynthia Calongne/Lyr Lobo
Educators and Trainers
Chris Luchs/Abacus Capalini
Educators and Trainers
Trish Cloud/Trish Cloud
Educators and Trainers
Using the learning that happens outside the classroom, let’s go META by considering the Most Effective Tactics Available. This round table invites participants to a think tank on tactics for virtual worlds (VWs), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and games. As we look beyond the hype and disillusionment, the session asks the participants to brainstorm actions to support our current and future directions. What can we do to shape the future? What is our Manifesto moving forward?
Participants will be able to draw connections between learning and emerging ideas and formulate a plan for looking at future innovation.
More information & location

Liberate Agency Amplification Via Avatar Identity
2018-03-17 12:00 - 13:00
Presenter:
Renne Emiko Brock/Zinnia Zauber (Avatar)
Educators and Trainers
Let go of control. Instructors empower students through agency with active learning ownership, not with ultimate authority. Build validating lessons prior to entering virtual situations with surprising personal investigation, mood board creation, and character sketches. Develop education buy-in through accelerated and immediate avatar customization to reveal individuality and unlimited potential. Use reflection exercises to reveal how this experience exposed their real investment in themselves.
Participants will be able to utilize revelations of student’s motivation via avatar development.
Participants will be able to foster personalized research, design, documentation, and blogging.
More information & location

Etopian Evolution for Real World Solutions
2018-03-17 12:00 - 13:00
Photo Etopia
Presenter:
G Ronnie Kraegel/Namaara MacMoragh (Avatar)
Advocacy and NonProfit
As an ever evolving project, Etopia is designed to bridge SL and RL by providing safe, educational space and activities for skills exploration with partners such as Peninsula College and Brain Energy Support Team. The benefits of learning social, sustainable, and behavioral skills in a virtual world give participants the opportunity to create a better quality of life for themselves and the communities they are in.
Participants will learn how Etopia has integrated real life solutions into the Second Life experience.
Participants will learn how a mutually supportive community experience can address real world environmental and social challenges.
More information & location

If They Build It, They Will Come!
2018-03-17 09:00 - 10:00
Presenters:
Carolyn Lowe/Clowey Greenwood (Avatar)
Educators and Trainers
Amy Pihlainen/Elsie Ocello (Avatar)
Educators and Trainers
The authors, working with children ages 10 through 14, have found that allowing the students to create the learning spaces increases engagement, deep learning, and motivation to learn and do more. This presentation will demonstrate this through showcasing the many learning activities accomplished by the children and include the childrens’ reflections on the experience.
Participants will be able to describe examples in which children created their own virtual learning experiences.
Participants will be able to express the benefits of having children building in a learning environment.
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Our Brains, Ourselves, Our Worlds
2018-03-16 16:00 - 17:30
Presenters:
Thuja Hynes (Avatar)
Advocacy and NonProfit
Lissena
Advocacy and NonProfit
A Virtual Interactive Model of the Five Pillars of Whole-Brain Health connects the goals of healthy Neuroplasticity and Collective Learning. Participants learn brain structure and function as they engage in a spectrum of activities, capture their experiences digitally in images and text, and contribute these to a collaborative document. We then correlate that information to regions of a walk-in anatomically correct model of the human brain. The result is a hologram of our collective understanding.
Participants will actively discover how the 5 pillars of whole-brain health can be applied to their own lives.
Participants will use voice, text, captured images, and movement to build a collective neural map and understanding.
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Chemistry Experiments in Virtual Worlds
2018-03-16 15:00 - 16:00
Photo: VWBPE Lecture hall A
Presenter:
Wendy L. Keeney-Kennicutt/Julia Tiraxibar (Avatar)
Educators and Trainers
The design, implementation and assessment of college-level chemistry experiments conducted in Second Life suggest that VWs can be effective for teaching chemistry laboratory. In this pilot study, 55 students successfully completed two virtual experiments and showed learning gains similar to 67 students who performed identical real world experiments, as shown by pre/post quizzes and a practicum. Students held positive views of their virtual experience; teaching assistants had mixed opinions.
Participants will be able to better translate a physical lab experience to VR for students and TAs.
More information & location

Use Cases for Social Virtual Reality
2018-03-16 10:00 - 11:00
Photo: ESA
Presenters:
Lisa Laxton/Lisa Laxton (Avatar)
Research and Development Community Foundation
Cynthia Calogne/Lyr Lobo
Educators and Trainers
Singergirl Mode
Business and Entrepreneurs
Dieter Heyne
Coders, Scripters, and System/IT Analysts
Gentle Heron
Support and Help Communities
Many virtual world technologies are available today in the social virtual reality realm. Because teachers and researchers often do not share institutional data, choosing the best technology can be a challenge. Each use case requires analytical thinking to solve problems considering: virtual world design rationale; features associated with social use; security requirements; and accessibility. Panellists will present use cases and solutions. Compass point discussion will follow the presentations.
Participants will be able to learn innovative approaches to educational virtual world use cases.
Participants will be able to learn about Infinite Metaverse Alliance and reasons for engagement.
More information & location

Improving Digital Literacy – A Solvable Challenge using Virtual Worlds
2018-03-16 09:00 - 10:00
Presenter:
Marie Vans/amvans lapis (Avatar)
Educators and Trainers
Valerie Hill/Valibrarian Gregg
Educators and Trainers
Virtual World librarians are positioned to lead efforts to develop digital citizenship by developing programs that assist in the mastery of responsible and appropriate technology use, including online identity, communication etiquette, and rights and responsibilities by learners. We present the definition of digital literacy and the very solvable challenges faced by educators and students. We also include possible solutions and call for the creation of a digital literacy lifecycle model.
Participants will have an understanding of the challenges and issues for becoming digitally literate.
Participants will understand how to engage others in meaningful conversation on digital literacy.
More information & location

How to Get There from Here
2018-03-15 14:00 - 15:00
Presenter:
Barbara McQueen/Barbara Novelli (Avatar)
Educators and Trainers
Teachers are often unnerved by how much they need to learn to best use virtual worlds as a part of their technology arsenal. So they don’t use virtual worlds or only use them in a very limited way. This presentation will detail:

The most important virtual world skills to learn and fun ways to teach them
Simple to complex games and roleplays that deeply immerse students
Tasks for blogs, Moodle, Skype, machinima, social media, online conference rooms, and other educational software and devices

Participants will be able to create virtual classes that are flipped, gamified, and student-led.
Participants will be able to modify the presented tools/techniques to enhance teaching any subject.
More information & location

Conversation with Ebbe Altberg
2018-03-15 13:00 - 14:00
Presenter: Ebbe Altberg/Ebbe Linden (Avatar)
Moderator: Kevin Feenan/Phelan Corrimal
Join us for an engaging conversation with Linden Lab CEO Ebbe Altberg, who once again opens up about topics that are most important to educators and communities of practice within Second Life. Topics will vary and conversation will flow organically.
More information & location

The Minecraft VRevolution: Collaborative Learning
2018-03-15 10:30 - 11:30
Picture: Wikipedia
The session features an panel of educators actively utilizing Minecraft in educational settings. Participants will explore how Minecraft can be utilized as a tool to motivate and engage young 21st century learners. Diverse examples of integration will be presented for participant consideration. The panel will discuss creative and innovative ways to integrate Minecraft and tips on how to provide opportunities for students to collaborate, create, and problem solve in meaningful ways.
Presenters:
Katherine Hewett/TwelfthNight (Avatar)
Educators and Trainers
Mary O’Brien/Serena Offcourse
Educators and Trainers
Beth S. O’Connell/Beth Ghostraven
Educators and Trainers
Kim Harrison/Thunder Insippo
Educators and Trainers
More information & location

Opening Ceremony Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education
2018-03-15 08:00 - 09:00
11th Annual Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education
Opening Ceremony of VWBPE 2018
Join us at the Gateway for Kick Off Event of VWBPE 2018. This is a time to socialize and network with friends, old and new, while enjoying the lovely piano music of Arisia Vita. The Conference Executive and Organization Committees will share a few of the upcoming highlights. Executive Director Phelan Corrimal will officially start the conference with the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. You will also have time to explore and enjoy the exhibits. Be sure to check for the Exhibit Scavenger Hunt Notecard in your Swag Bag. There will be a prize for completion!

More information & location

Punctuated Equilibrium, Neoteny, and Evolution
2018-03-10 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Punctuated Equilibrium, Neoteny, and Evolution: A tribute to the late Dr. Stephen Jay Gould
Stephen Jay Gould was undoubtedly one of the most influential scientists of the 20th Century who along with Niles Eldredge published the theory of Punctuated Equilibrium. He was a prolific author of many articles on Neoteny, and other ideas that revolutionized biologists ideas of evolution. I had the fortune to attend several of his lectures as well as interview him at Harvard University before his untimely death in 2002. I will be sharing my personal reflections on this great scientist as well as sharing unpublished correspondence with Dr. Gould.

by Dr. William F. Schmachtenberg (Dae Miami SL)
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Copernicus' Epicycles
2018-03-03 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Copernicus’ Epicycles
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) is sometimes called the father of modern astronomy. He’s famous for introducing to Western Europe a thorough and worked-out model of the Solar System with the Sun at the center. At the time, nearly everybody accepted Ptolemy‘s Earth-centered model, with planets riding on celestial spheres, and riding on epicycles inside those spheres. Many of us carry the idea that Copernicus simplified it all by moving the Sun to the center. It turns out, however, that Copernicus’ system is not appreciably simpler than Ptolemy’s — he, too, had epicycles in his model! Nor was Copernicus the first one to think about Sun-centered models of the Solar System, as that idea goes back at least to ancient Greece.
In this talk, I will outline the history of our understanding of the Sun-centered model of the Solar System, and give some detail about how Copernicus’ model worked, and why it took the work of others later for us to really accept that his basic idea was right.

— Rob Knop
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"CRISPR"
2018-02-25 09:00 - 10:00 | Auditorium
“CRISPR”
“New Advances in Genetic Engineering: The Nuts, The Bolts, Frankenstein Monsters?, and Ethics”

In the last 150 years we’ve had an amazing advancement in our understanding of the genetic code that programs life. While some technologies for manipulating genes have developed in the last few decades, new programmable systems have been discovered in the past few years. Developed from bacteria, the CRISPR/Cas systems allow a new level of ease for genetic changes in cells. This presentation will describe the origins of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, how it works, applications for its use, and implications for the future.

Dr. Stephen L. Gasior
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"Discrepancies in the Measured Expansion Rate of the Universe"
2018-02-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
“Discrepancies in the Measured Expansion Rate of the Universe”
Abstract:
The most basic parameter in our description of the expanding Universe is the current expansion rate, given by the Hubble Constant.
A mere two decades ago, the value of that constant was uncertain to a factor of two. Since then, the face of cosmology has changed, and we are now in an era of precision cosmology. We are able to measure the value of the Hubble Constant to within a few percent. The problem is, we now have two measurements– one from nearby objects such as variable stars and low-redshift supernovae, and the other from statistics of fluctuations in the early Universe. The two measurements are different at about the six-percent level, which is greater than the uncertainties on the individual measurements. While astronomers of two decades ago would dream to be in this situation, we find ourselves questioning whether there is something going on in the expanding universe that we haven’t figured out, or whether it is a matter of systematic uncertainties that we haven’t yet identified.
In this talk, I will discuss the history of both the Universe and of our dominant model of the Universe. I will describe how the Hubble Constant went from being extremely uncertain to relatively well known… well enough that we can see a discrepancy in two different measurements. I will describe the two ways we measure the Hubble Constant, and talk about possibilities for resolving the discrepancy in their results.

— Rob Knop
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