Microsoft Momentum - Building a Better Infrastructure

Seems like I attend a Microsoft event every month. This was a good one. I got a great overview of Microsoft Forefront(suite of security products), unified communications, and sharepoint 2007. Not to mention they served a great breakfast...scrambled eggs, bacon, sauage links, french toast, and waffles. You can visit the website for this event here.

Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds

Friday, Nov 15, I attended this full day event held in Washington DC...without leaving my office at Georgia Tech as I attended entirely in Second Life as an avatar.

The event was put on by the Federal Consortium for Second Life (http://www.ndu.edu/irmc/fedconsortium.html) and consisted of presentations by a variety of government agencies and contractors who are exploring the use of virtual worlds in government.

The entire event was projected into second life and was free to attend in-world.

Some of the presenters were inside second life projecting to real life conference attendees on a big screen.

I've attended several conferences now from inside Second Life and continue to be amazed how real it feels...even down to the after event reception for mingling with other attendees.

Here's the event agenda:

8:00 – 9:00
Registration, Continental Breakfast, Networking
9:00 - 9:15
AnnouncementsPaulette Robinson, PhD, IRM College
Welcoming RemarksDr. Robert Childs, Director, IRM College
9:15 - 10:15
Using Virtual Worlds to Shape the FutureSusan Stucky, PhD, IBM
10:15 - 10:45
Coffee Break/Networking/Virtual Worlds Demos
10:45 - 11:15
Second Life 101Eric Hackathorn, NOAA
11:15 - 12:00
Second Life UpdateCollapsing Geography: Distance, Learning, and InnovationSue Singer, Program Manager East Coast, Linden Lab
12:00 - 1:30
Lunch/Networking/Virtual World Demos
1:30 - 2:30
Second Life Government User Panel (NOAA, NASA, CDC)Michael Piller, PhD, Moderator, IRM College
2:30 – 2:45
Break/Networking/Virtual World Demos
2:45 – 3:45
Virtual Worlds Panel (Forterra, Active Worlds, National Guard)Dwight Toavs, PhD, Moderator, IRM College
3:45 - 4:00
Closing RemarksPaulette Robinson, PhD, IRM College
4:30 - 7:00
Reception—Ft. Lesley J. McNair Officer Club


I'm looking forward to future events from this organization.