We are excited to share the news that this Friday, April 22 at 12pm PDT, the Nonprofit Commons will be hosting a book talk with Jim Blascovich (University of California, Santa Barbara) and Jeremy Bailenson (Stanford University). Blascovich and Bailenson will talk about their new book Infinite Reality at the Aloft Nonprofit Commons in Second Life. A far-reaching book, Infinite Reality examines the impact of virtual technology on the human psyche and the larger society.
Head to this teleport link to participate on April 22 starting at Noon PDT.
The complete event announcement follows…
Virtual Reality Book Talk with Authors of Infinite Reality
April 22, 12pm PDT
Aloft Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater, Second Life
Teleport Location: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aloft%20Nonprofit%20Commons/96/47/25
On Friday, April 22, at 12pm PDT, join Jim Blascovich (University of California, Santa Barbara) and Jeremy Bailenson (Stanford University) as they talk about their new book Infinite Reality at the Aloft Nonprofit Commons in Second Life. Infinite Reality: Avatars, Eternal Life, New Worlds, and the Dawn of the Virtual Revolution (William Morrow, 2011) is the provocative new book that examines how radical new developments in digital technologies will free the potential of the mind and change our understanding of what it means to be human. Citing their own research, Blascovich and Bailenson explore notions of consciousness, perception, neuroscience, media technology, social interaction, and popular culture as they pertain to virtual reality and vice versa.
Jim Blascovich and Jeremy Bailenson will be in-world as Second Life avatars, presenting their findings before a virtual audience and then answering questions over voice chat. You can participate for free from any relatively recent computer and a broadband internet connection. Head here for more information on getting started in Second Life.
The Nonprofit Commons, a project of TechSoup Global, is proud to host this exciting conversation with these two experts on virtual reality. Join us on Friday April 22 in Second Life!
About the Nonprofit Commons
The Nonprofit Commons is a nonprofit archipelago in Second Life, consisting of four virtual locations (sims). Housing social benefit organizations from around the globe, the Nonprofit Commons is managed by a community of volunteers, under the leadership of TechSoup Global: http://www.techsoup.org. For more information, see http://nonprofitcommons.org.
About the Authors
Jim Blascovich is Director and co-founder of the Research Center for Virtual Environments at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he is Distinguished Professor of Psychology. A pioneer in the science of virtual social interaction, Professor Blascovich has served as the president of major international scientific societies, including the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, the Society for Experimental Social Psychology.
Jeremy Bailenson is founding director of Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, which has been featured all over the media including on PBS Frontline, NPR’s All Things Considered, NBC’s The Today Show, and in Time, Discover, Chronicle of Higher Education, and the New York Times Magazine.
Written by: rikomatic