Academia in VW and what’s up at Educare
2022-12-10 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Educare
Virtual World learning is now pinging louder on the radar of academic administrators. Talk of the Metaverse may have confounded the issue, but the benefits of immersive experience are proven. The Educare region provides a gentle first-time orientation for newcomers (and hesitant returnees) to explore VW education possibilities. For this ‘tour’ please land at the Orientation Dome, give it a quick walk-through, then climb the stairs to the large lit Auditorium above. Throughout your visit, please try the perspective of a first-time VW visitor as you assess Educare region resources and rides. Welcome!
Field trip by Dr. Steven Van Hook

Bio: Dr. Steven R. Van Hook has taught mixed-format courses in cross-cultural communications and global affairs for the University of California and other universities in the United States and abroad. He’s been a newspaper columnist, radio talk show host, TV news anchor, and television bureau chief in Moscow covering the fall of the Soviet Union. He has directed international public education campaigns through the United States Agency for International Development. He has a PhD specializing in transcultural learning, and is published in scholarly journals including SAGE, and UNESCO’s Prospects. Research website

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Caledon Oxbridge
2022-12-10 21:00 - 22:00 | Caledon Oxbridge
Caledon Oxbridge
Abstract pending.

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Classical Concert
2022-12-11 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-12-18 07:00 - 08:00, 2023-01-08 07:00 - 08:00, 2023-01-15 07:00 - 08:00, 2023-01-22 07:00 - 08:00, 2023-01-29 07:00 - 08:00 | The Lighthouse Café

OpenSimulator Community Conference
2022-12-11 08:30 - 09:00
OpenSimulator Community Conference – Dec 10-11, 2022

What is Opensimulator and what is The Science Circle doing there?
You have probably heard of the virtual world platform of Opensimulator or one of its grids like Kitely, OSGrid, Craft World, etc. But, unless you’ve been prompted to try it out, it has remained a backdrop to your virtual digital life. However, many users and schools and companies have found (and helped create) it as a vibrant platform for exploration, art, education, role-play, and business. Science Circle has had their own grid for almost 10 years now using it for developing science-based learning opportunities.
Your presenter has also explored Opensim for learning activities. First, in response to an Intel call for proposals to develop educational experiences, then transitioned to developing and self hosting the Virtual Islands for Better Education initiative along with several other educators. He was also involved in MOSES, a military Opensim training platform, and in organizing the Opensimulator Community Conference a couple years. He also enjoyed going on “safari” which were a couple groups that explored Opensim grids for fun.
This talk with focus on providing an introduction to Opensim as a platform and the opportunities for virtual engagement. Then focus specifically on the history and content of the Science Circle grid.
Presentation by Dr. Stephen Gasior (Xootfly)

Caledon Oxbridge University (COU)
2022-12-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Caledon Oxbridge
Caledon Oxbridge University (COU), established in January 2009, is an inworld teaching center focused on Second Life™ Skills COU is located in the Steampunk-Victorian estate of Caledon but is operated independently (i.e. COU is a tenant organization). COU is kept above the waves entirely by community support. COU is a general-rated, homestead. Apart from the general-rating, no particular dress-code is enforced. Rules are enforced to maintain a safe space with priority given to teaching and learning. COU has seasonal decorations, currently including an ice-rink and free skates.
The self-paced tutorial at Caledon Oxbridge starts in the introduction building with a circle of kiosks explaining the basics of Second Life and setting forth COU’s rules. On exiting this building, one is in the central plaza, where there often are live “tutors” to answer questions and provide help. The COU lecture hall, where walk-in classes are held, is also in this area. On the far side of the plaza, the tutorial continues through six “Colleges”: Avatar Motion, Camera Control, Communication, Finding, Avatar Customization, and Money & Commerce.
Other buildings on the Caledon Oxbridge region include: Hall of Caledon (where the Caledon Quest beings), Café Vox and the Oxbridge shop, the Oxbridge Train Station (and freebie center), the Caledon Air Transport Station (CATS), and the Oxbridge branch of the Caledon Library System.
Just over the border in the Caledon Oxbridge Village region, are the overflow Chat Circle, a seasonal ice rink, and the pub.
A field trip with Keith Grant, Ph.D

Note: This region has limited access (20), be on time.

Educare Update
2022-12-17 21:00 - 22:00 | Educare
Educare Update
Virtual World learning is now pinging louder on the radar of academic administrators. Talk of the Metaverse may have confounded the issue, but the benefits of immersive experience are proven. The Educare region provides a gentle first-time orientation for newcomers (and hesitant returnees) to explore VW education possibilities. For this ‘tour’ please land at the Orientation Dome, give it a quick walk-through, then climb the stairs to the large lit Auditorium above. Throughout your visit, please try the perspective of a first-time VW visitor as you assess Educare region resources and rides.
Welcome!
Dr. Steven R. Van Hook has taught mixed-format courses in cross-cultural communications and global affairs for the University of California and other universities in the United States and abroad. He’s been a newspaper columnist, radio talk show host, TV news anchor, and television bureau chief in Moscow covering the fall of the Soviet Union. He has directed international public education campaigns through the United States Agency for International Development. He has a PhD specializing in transcultural learning, and is published in scholarly journals including SAGE, and UNESCO’s Prospects.
Research website: http://wwmr.us

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A tour of Chemistry World
2022-12-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Chemistry World
A tour of Chemistry World
Chemistry World was established as a joint venture between Texas A&M University and the Florida Institute of Technology by Dr. K (Dr. Wendy Keeney-Kennicutt) and Winkelmann Teichmann (Dr. Kurt Winkelman) as part of NSF-funded research to examine the effectiveness of virtual worlds in the teaching of chemistry content. They worked with Xandi Mars and Random Cole, SL designers who are based in Texas and who work extensively with Texas A&M. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Chemical Education (see https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00733). The result is an asset to the chemistry education community in Second Life which supports a realistic teaching environment which includes a laboratory, a classroom, offices to meet with TAs/faculty, and space to “hang out”. In addition there is an area for practicing camera skills, and a series of platforms which host two laboratory experiments which include an ideal gas law activity and a precipitation titration activity.
Amidst the SARS-COVID-2 pandemic in late Spring 2020, Dr. Shaw assumed management of the region. The idea was to use its facilities to supplement the lab activities for a freshman chemistry for engineers course, for which it has been used every semester since Fall 2020. his tour will highlight the facilities built as part of the original study, and new features such as bioinorganic models, solid state structures, and the new Tantramar Marsh restoration area built by Delia Lake.
The tour will begin at the Northeast corner of the sim, where the land connects to the Science Circle region.
A tour by Dr. Mike J. Shaw

Dr. Mike J. Shaw

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

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Science Circle in Open Sim
2022-12-24 21:00 - 22:00 | Science Circle region
Science Circle in Open Sim
You have probabaly heard of the virtual world platform of Opensimulator or one of its grids like Kitely, OSGrid, Craft World, etc. But, unless you’ve been prompted to try it out, it has remained a backdrop to your virtual digital life. However, many users and schools and companies have found (and helped create) it as a vibrant platform for exploration, art, education, role-play, and business. Science Circle has had their own grid for almost 10 years now using it for developing science-based learning opportunities.
Your presenter has also explored Opensim for learning activites. First, in response to an Intel call for proposals to develop educational experiences, then transitioned to developing and self hosting the Virtual Islands for Better Education initiative along with several other educators. He was also involved in MOSES, a military Opensim tranining platform, and in organzing the Opensimulator Community Conference a couple years. He also enjoyed going on “safari” which were a couple groups that explored Opensim grids for fun.
This talk with focus on providing an introduction to Opensim as a platform and the opportunies for virtual engagement. Then focus specifically on the history and content of the Science Circle grid.

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Time Travel
2022-12-26 07:00 - 08:00
In an annual tradition, we visit the most eye-catching regions in Second Life for 5 days in a row at 7 AM PST between Christmas and New Year’s. Join us and discover unprecedented worlds and the diverse communities of Second Life.
We start this series with a visit to the Time Portal…

Royal Opera
2022-12-27 07:00 - 08:00
In an annual tradition, we visit the most eye-catching regions in Second Life for 5 days in a row at 7 AM PST between Christmas and New Year’s. Join us and discover unprecedented worlds and the diverse communities of Second Life.

National Space Society
2022-12-28 07:00 - 08:00

Museum Island
2022-12-29 07:00 - 08:00

MadPea
2022-12-30 07:00 - 08:00
In an annual tradition, we visit the most eye-catching regions in Second Life for 5 days in a row at 7 AM PST between Christmas and New Year’s. Join us and discover unprecedented worlds and the diverse communities of Second Life.
We close this week with an old acquaintance: MadPea.
Those who were unable to join us last year, and thus did not receive a game HUD, will receive the HUD at the start. With this HUD you can play all past and future mysteries of MadPea.

Looking for fun interactive games and products? Walk right in to the store! Our immersive gaming experiences and hunts have their own portals in the plaza and right behind you is the entrance to Mad World, a fun theme park!
Let the holiday excitement begin with a wonderful MadPea Christmas Advent Calendar to make your season merry and bright! Get 25 total gifts, revealed 1 per day from December 1-25, for just L$500! Info here Find the vendor here: Sinister (108,146,2502)
Are you a MadPea fanatic? Get all new releases, games, and more with MadPea Unlimited! Join our Autumn Season! Check out the benefits
What happens when your dream opens a portal and casts you into a realm where nightmares are real? Find out when you play If I Die Before I Wake, an adventure game exclusively for MadPea Unlimited! Info here
Their program this Christmas
– Nightmare in New Orleans
– The Kidnapping
– Ghost Town
– Cursed Keys
– Jewel of the Nile
– Christmas Advent Calendar
– If I Die Before I Wake
– Mad Mines
– Cirque Du Mystere
– Lady Lockhart’s Legacy
– And Mad World

New Year's Concert
2023-01-01 07:00 - 08:00 | The Lighthouse Café

CRISPR Year in Review 2022
2023-01-07 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Every year there are new advances in genome engineering enabled by CRISPR/Cas editing systems. In this talk, the most important and interesting news in CRISPR-based gene editing from 2022 will be presented. Come learn about Technology Advances, New Tools, Intellectual Property, and Target Genes and Modified Organisms from a practitioner in the field. This year’s emphasis will be on some of the clinical trials ongoing and alternate editing systems.
A presentation by Dr. Stephen L. Gasior

Dr. Stephen L. Gasior

Previous lectures on film

Podcasts

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Alternate Energy sources
2023-01-07 21:00 - 22:00 | Science Circle East Cabin
Alternate Energy sources
As coal becomes harder and harder to obtain, we will need to replace it with more sustainable energy sources. During this discussion we will ask what possibilities we have, and how easily it can be done!

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Follow the Food
2023-01-14 08:00 - 09:00 | Auditorium

BB: Climate Change Priorities
2023-01-14 10:00 - 11:00 | The Lighthouse Café
Last year President Biden sign into law the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides, at long last, hundred of billions dollars in climate change action funding. In view of this and other progress around the world, join us at the Science Circle to discuss which climate change initiatives should have priority. For example, should mitigation be prioritized over emissions reduction? What are the best ways to cope with events such as polar vortex, melting Greenland ice sheet, sea level rise, fires, and so on?
Resources to help you prepare for the discussion:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/biden-signs-historic-climate-bill-as-scientists-applaud/
https://www.wri.org/insights/5-strategies-achieve-climate-mitigation-and-adaptation-simultaneously
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/11/28/climate-change-from-a-to-z

COVID19, two years later
2023-01-14 21:00 - 22:00 | Science Circle East Cabin
COVID19, two years later
Time flies – it’s been two years since the covid pandemic and the virus has basically become a fact of life, at least for now. Think about how things have or have not changed, how people deal with it in 2022/2023 versus 2020 and give us your opinion on how we’re doing.

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Come down, down, down to the Sea with me
2023-01-21 10:00 - 11:00 | STEM Island
Come down, down, down to the Sea with me
When you look down at the sea, do you wonder what lies beneath the surface waters? The ocean’s dark waters hold many mysteries and secrets yet to be revealed.
Earth’s oceans are vast, covering more than 70% of Planet. How much of the oceans to you think we’ve mapped? 50%? More? Less?
Would it surprise you to know that to date we have only mapped about 10% of the floor of Earth’s oceans! That’s much, much less than we’ve mapped of the surface of the Moon (98.2% mapped) or even Mars (86% mapped).
One of the most recognized features on the sea floor is the tropical coral reef. For most of human history they were the only corals we knew. They are amazingly beautiful, and now endangered, threatened by heating waters and man-made pollution.

Although deep-sea cold-water corals have been known to exist for almost 200 years, it’s only recently, only in the 21st Century that we have gotten an inkling of the global extent of cold-water coral reefs and their ecosystems. These corals live at depths between 40 and 3000 meters, or the ones we’ve found so far do. Many live below the depth where sunshine reaches or photosynthesis occur – about 200 meters, yet flora and fauna from giant to microscopic are at home there. Some of these reefs have been actively growing for 40,000 years. We are finding that these kinds of corals span the globe.
Please join us to explore some of these wonders of the deep using the marvellous immersive power of Second Life to experience our evolving knowledge of these wonders. Our STEM Island site is modelled on the deep cold of the Norwegian Sea. What you will find is a sampling of what has been found there…so far.
If you want to suit up for this even, come a little early if you want to get a wetsuit from the freebie box.
A presentation/field trip with Linda M. Kelley

Why education?
2023-01-21 21:00 - 22:00 | Science Circle East Cabin
Why education?
Today we ask you some questions, why is education so important to you? What do you think are it’s advantages or disadvantages? How can it improve, extend it’s reach, what are problems within the system that you see and want to address?

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The SC in the VWEC Eduverse
2023-01-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
The SC in the VWEC Eduverse
By: Phil Youngblood, PhD
Kind of like residents who never venture outside of the remote village in which they live, it is easy in Second Life not to realize that there is a great big virtual world beyond the borders of the 250mX250m space that defines each region.
You may have noticed that two other regions joined The Science Circle region back about six months ago – Chemistry World to the south and STEM Island to the north. What you may not know is that The Science Circle region and the two regions that joined it were all in a different part of the Linden Lab virtual world before then and that this is all part of an ambitious plan for educational regions in Second Life to come together within a large grid collectively known as the Virtual Worlds Education Consortium (VWEC) Eduverse.
At last count, there are 58 educational entities hosting 112 regions within the Eduverse. Come learn about how the VWEC Eduverse was conceived, its goals and vision, and the diversity of educational opportunities represented by this collective.

A presentation by Dr. Phil Youngblood

Dr. Phil Youngblood

Previous lectures on film

Podcast

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Internet Security
2023-01-28 21:00 - 22:00 | Science Circle East Cabin
Internet Security
Your data is one of your most valuable assets. Given that fact, in your opinion are companies who gather it doing their utmost to keep it from being hacked and leaked, for your safety but also for their advertising profits? Why/why not?

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Information Revolution! The First 50 Years of the Internet
2023-02-04 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Information Revolution! The First 50 Years of the Internet

By: Phil Youngblood, PhD
With the exception of the printing press, the way information was shared and stored two hundred years ago had not changed much over the preceding two thousand years. Then a series of discoveries and electrical inventions helped to connect businesses and individuals in new ways and enabled some to broadcast messages to anyone able to pick up their transmissions.
Still, even within my lifetime, with the exception of television broadcasts, information sharing was largely local or delayed or restrained to printed sources like it had been for hundreds of years. When I was born, there were no practical computers at all, let alone a computer that an individual could own. Even if there were, there was no way to connect them because there was no Internet, in fact no computer networks at all.
About 50 years ago (60 years, if you count the origins), all that began to change with the development of rules about how electricity could represent language and abstract objects, paired with the invention of transistors and their micro-miniaturization, advancements in transmission media and connectivity protocols, and the concept that connecting people around the world was too big of an idea to be possessed by any one nation or company.

Come learn about the first 50 years of the Internet, how it began as an idea, how it was realized, who owns it, who controls the technology, and the applications that we use to connect us to the world in both constructive and destructive ways that could never have been imagined decades ago.
A presentation by Dr. Phil Youngblood

Dr. Phil Youngblood

Previous lectures on film

Podcast

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Combating Negative Thinking
2023-02-04 21:00 - 22:00 | Science Circle East Cabin
COMBATING NEGATIVE THINKING
The human brain seems to favor negative experiences, memories, and thought over positive ones, why? Is this an evolutionary lesson or a societal one? How do we balance negative thoughts with positive ones? Do you have any advice on those who may struggle with it?

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