VWBPE: Immersive methodologies for school and museum tours
2022-04-01 09:30 - 10:20 (America/Los_Angeles)
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?

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Classical Concert
2022-04-03 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-04-10 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-04-17 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-05-01 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-05-08 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-05-15 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-05-22 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-05-29 07:00 - 08:00 | The Lighthouse Café

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

Previous lectures on film

Non-members only need to register once to attend the free events.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

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.

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

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

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

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.

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

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

Previous lectures on film

Podcast

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

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

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

What's Happening in the World of Synthetic Biology: A Report From A Global Conference
2022-04-30 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
What’s Happening in the World of Synthetic Biology: A Report From A Global Conference

The speaker will be attending SynBioBeta Global Conference and will provide a consumer-friendly update on some of the highlights. Synthetic Biology is a toolkit of techniques of biological engineering to improve or design organisms for an optimized purpose. It looks to be a useful revolution for civilization similar to computers and high energy physics. This conference features many of the scientists, company leaders, and thought-leaders leading this revolution. Connections to what it will mean for products and sustainable practices will be the focus for the talk.

Presentation by Dr. Stephen Gasior (Xootfly)

Dr. Stephen L. Gasior

Previous lectures on film

Podcasts

Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Art
2022-04-30 21:00 - 22:00 | Fireside
Art
“To be an artist is to believe in life.” -Henry Moore
“Art is standing with one hand extended into the universe and one hand extended into the world, and letting ourselves be a conduit for passing energy.” -Albert Einstein

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Plankton - Drifting Through Life
2022-05-07 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Plankton – Drifting Through Life
When I was in school, I remember learning about plankton as near-microscopic organisms with strange but beautiful shells that lived near the surface of the ocean and were eaten by whales and other sea creatures. It was only later that I learned that they were all that and far more.
Plankton are not just microscopic organisms floating around the ocean waiting to be eaten. For one, they range in size from viruses to jellyfish. Plankton live in the ocean, but there are also freshwater plankton, and plankton that float through the air. Some plankton can photosynthesize and others have to eat to live. They can also be immensely beneficial or be deadly.
While plants live their lives where they grow, and animals are able to move horizontally, the one thing that all plankton have in common is being at the mercy of the currents in their environment. They drift through life. The other thing that can be said about plankton is that they are an indispensable part of several cycles that permit life to continue on Earth.
Join us at The Science Circle as we explore together the exciting world of plankton and the vital role they play in our lives.
Presentation by Dr. Phil Youngblood

Dr. Phil Youngblood

Previous lectures on film

Podcast

Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Remembrance and Reconciliation
2022-05-07 21:00 - 22:00 | Patio in Paris
Remembrance and Reconciliation
You are invited to come and share your families experience of WWII, together we will remember those who sacrificed their lives.

Lessons for the Next Pandemic
2022-05-14 10:00 - 11:00 | The Lighthouse Café
Although scientific progress enabled humanity to create a covid19 vaccine quickly, millions nevertheless died and many more suffered and continue to suffer from the virus. What should we learn from the experience? Which societies managed the pandemic better or worse and why? Can we improve the political, economic and social approaches to public health globally to do better with the next pandemic?
14 Lessons for the Next Pandemic (New York Times)
Early lessons for the next pandemic (Brookings Institute)
“You can lead a horse to water…” – the document Trump ignored
We just reached 1 million (official) COVID dead in the U.S. – Why??
A few people can influence millions
A pandemic has social, not must medical, implications
Fear and resentment bring out the worst in people
What comes next? May become epidemic, like flu. That Spanish flu may still be around
And by ABC News
There is no ‘profile’ for who gets it (something everyone tries to find in a pandemic)
The numbers are never accurate
The rich get richer

A discussion hosted by Matt Burr at the Light house Cafe

Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Nuclear Energy
2022-05-14 21:00 - 22:00 | Patio in Paris
Nuclear Energy
“Nuclear energy, in terms of an overall safety record, is better than other energy.” -Bill Gates
“If our nation wants to reduce global warming, air pollution and energy instability, we should invest only in the best energy options. Nuclear energy isn’t one of them.” -Mark Z. Jacobson
Nuclear Energy.
Good? Bad? The answer to our problems, or not at all?

The Chemistry and Geology of Gold
2022-05-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
The Chemistry and Geology of Gold
Gold has been valued for all time due to its properties of malleability and high luster. In this talk we will consider the history and geologic origin of gold and its chemical properties. Gold is one of the few elements that can be found as a metal in nature, however methods of extracting gold are not ecologically friendly. Its current importance goes beyond personal adornment or financial security. Electronics, medicine, and new areas of catalysis are at the forefront of gold’s useful contributions to our society.
A joint presentation by Dr Mike Shaw, Professor of Chemistry and Dr Bill Schmachtenberg, Geologist.

Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Bees! And other endangered animals
2022-05-21 21:00 - 22:00 | Patio in Paris
Bees! And other endangered animals
The hum of bees is the voice of the garden – Elizabeth Lawrence

As the world changes with the impact humans leave on it, more and more animals find themselves on the endangered list. Today we will talk about conservation, the different methods we use to achieve it, and endangered animal species you would like to shine a light on.

Telomere to Telomere: Completion of the Human Genome
2022-05-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Telomere to Telomere: Completion of the Human Genome
Max Chatnoir (RL Mary Anne Clark, Texas Wesleyan University)
In 2001, two research groups published reports on the sequence of the human genome, whose euchromatic sequence was then subsequently largely completed, chromosome by chromosome. A reference sequence was released in 2013 and updated in 2019. In April 2022, new protein coding regions and most of the remaining heterochromatic sequence, including the repetitive centromeric regions, was reported. Any interesting surprises? Come and see!

A presentation by Dr. Mary Anne Clark
Previous work in the Film Collection

Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Internet Law
2022-05-28 21:00 - 22:00 | Patio in Paris
Internet Law
“[Behavioral tracking] is an area today that has very few regulations and even fewer rules” – Gary Kovacs
“As the most participatory form of mass speech yet developed, the Internet deserves the highest protection from government intrusion.” – Judge Dalzell

Today’s discussion will center around the concept of Internet Law and how it could, or should, be approached.

Educare Region Tour
2022-06-04 10:00 - 11:00 | Educare
Think back on your first days in a virtual world: A confounding jumble of pop-up options blocking the scenery; embarrassing moments stuck bouncing off walls — that’s what we may recall. 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 to adopt the perspective of a first-time VW visitor. You’ll be asked to share that imagined experience as you visit Educare region resources and rides. Welcome!
Field trip by Dr. Steven Van Hook

Bio: Dr. Steven R. Van Hook has developed and 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

Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Archaeology of Northern Ethiopia & Eritrea
2022-06-04 21:00 - 22:00 | Science Circle Opensim Grid
Archaeology of Northern Ethiopia & Eritrea

Abyssinia, which is intended as a living museum & educational resource on the Science Circle’s OpenSim grid, is my reconstruction of ancient archaeological sites in Tigray (northern Ethiopia) & Eritrea that date from at least 1000 BCE through roughly 800 CE. I excavated at several of these sites decades ago (1969-1972), & now am restoring parts of them virtually to their prominence during their heyday. Currently I have constructed two major buildings & other parts of Yeha, capital of the kingdom then known as Di’amat, located in Tigray, as well as a palace at Metera in Eritrea, representing the Aksumite period.

Restoration of 2,700-year-old temple in Yeha/Ethiopia completed

I created a similar project on Second Life more than a decade ago, but technical & financial issues prevented its continuation, so I am grateful to be able to created it again.
Framed within the striking dragon-tooth mountains characteristic of the region, Yeha was the administrative & religious capital of a kingdom that controlled trade along the Red Sea together with its counterpart & related South Arabian kingdom Saba’ in what is now Yemen, The language, culture, religion, & architecture of the two kingdoms bear strong similarities, indicating their close contact.
There are two major buildings in Yeha from that period, the Great Temple, which still remains largely standing, & the administrative palace, whose ruins are known as Grat Be’al Gibri (the Field of the Tax Collector). I participated in the first two seasons of excavation at the latter, during which the front of the building, including a colonnaded portico, were opened.
Subsequent more recent excavations on both buildings by a joint German-Ethiopian team have revealed many additional details about them, which are incorporated in my full-scale recreations of the buildings, which can be fully explored. I also included several other structures which represent other aspects of the city as it must have appeared at that time, including houses, a market, a pavilion for a royal festival, farm fields, & a representative war elephant, which were one of the exports from the kingdom to the Mediterranean & the Middle East. As time & space permit, it is my intention to add other important sites from both Tigray & Eritrea.
This project has gained greater significance for me since the tragic war which has been fought throughout Tigray since November 2020, causing great human suffering & destruction. Many of the sites & artefacts that have been or will be represented are located in Tigray, which now is undergoing the upheaval of disastrous civil war.

A new region & archaeological period has been added with the restoration of an Aksumite palace. So far this consists of an amalgam of different sites in Eritrea & Tigray dating between the 4th & 6th centuries CE, based primarily on a palace designated Mat-A at Metera in Eritrea, where I participated in the last two seasons of excavation during 1969 & 1970, as well as one of the palaces at Aksum in Tigray where I worked during 1971 & 1972.
I dedicate this project to the people of Tigray, as well as those of Ethiopia & Eritrea, with urgent hopes for return to peace & stability.

This is an excursion in OpenSim with Archaeologist Skip Dahlgren.
We have prepared a tutorial on how to register an account and enter the Science Circle open sim grid, click here to view it.
