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<P><FONT face=Arial>SLACTIONS 2009<BR><BR>Research conference in the Second
Life® world - Life, imagination, and work using metaverse
platforms<BR><BR>September 24-26, 2009 | </FONT><A
href="http://www.slactions.org/"><FONT face=Arial
color=#000000>http://www.slactions.org/</FONT></A><BR><BR><FONT
face=Arial>***************<BR><BR><STRONG>CALL FOR
PAPERS<BR></STRONG><BR>***************<BR><BR>The metaverse is emerging, through
the increasing use of virtual world technologies that act as platforms for
end-users to create, develop, and interact, expanding the realm of human
cooperation, interaction, and creativity. The conference focus is scientific
research on applications and developments of these metaverse platforms: Second
Life, OpenSim, Open Croquet, Activeworlds, Open Source Metaverse, Project
Wonderland, and others, providing a forum for the research community to present
and discuss innovative approaches, techniques, processes, and research
results.<BR><BR>SLACTIONS 09 is the first international conference held
simultaneously in several countries on the topic of metaverses. SLACTIONS 09
aims at covering most areas currently enabled by metaverse platforms, from
educational research to content production, from gender studies to media
distribution, and from metaverse-based branding, advertising, and fundraising to
emerging mash-ups and technology applications. SLACTIONS 09 is unique in its
format too, as a one-of-a kind event conducted both in a metaverse platform
(Second Life) and on-site in multiple countries in Europe and in North and South
America. SLACTIONS will thus contribute to the current redefinition of the way
we think about hybrid online and on-site scholarly
collaborations.<BR><BR>Whereas metaverses are no longer a novel topic, they
still pose challenges for the adaption of conventional instructional and
business practices, research methodologies, and communication practices. We are
looking forward to presenting a program of research results, case studies, panel
discussions, and demonstrations that scholars, educators, and businesses can
port to their own environments and apply in their research, teaching, and
business strategy. We will accept papers from the full spectrum of intellectual
disciplines and technological endeavours in which metaverse platforms are
currently being used: from Education to Business, Sociology to Social Sciences,
Media Production to Technology Development, Architecture and Urban Planning to
the Arts.<BR><BR>Topics covered may include but are not limited
to:<BR><BR><BR> * Accessibility in metaverse
platforms<BR><BR> * Advanced scientific visualization in
metaverse platforms<BR><BR> * Automatic content
generation<BR><BR> * Behavioral studies in the
metaverse<BR><BR> * Combination of metaverse platforms with
external systems (e-learning, e-business, etc.)<BR><BR> *
Communicational paradigms in the metaverse<BR><BR> * Content
management<BR><BR> * Creativity, design, and arts on the
metaverse<BR><BR> * E-business and e-commerce
applications<BR><BR> * Educational research, applications, and
case studies<BR><BR> * Embodiment in metaverses and Gender
Studies<BR><BR> * GIS/metaverse
mash-ups<BR><BR> * Integration between metaverse
platforms<BR><BR> * Nonprofit activities and
fundraising<BR><BR> * Quantitative and qualitative research
methodologies<BR><BR> * Social Sciences studies in or through
metaverse platforms<BR><BR> * Space representation, use, and
management in metaverses<BR><BR> * Using metaverse platforms
for cooperation<BR><BR><STRONG><BR>Format<BR></STRONG><BR>SLACTIONS 09 has the
format of a hybrid online and on-site conference. All paper presentations and
plenary sessions by guest speakers will be held on-line, and projected locally
for participants attending physically. Workshops are conducted locally – or in
mixed format accross several participating chapters – and chapters may held
local topical round
tables.<BR><BR><BR><STRONG>Submissions<BR></STRONG><BR>Authors are invited to
submit:<BR><BR> * A full paper of eight to ten pages for oral
presentation<BR><BR> * A Flickr image or YouTube video,
indexed with the tag “slactions 09” for poster presentations ‘in-world’ or
presentation in SL using a creative format<BR><BR><BR>All submissions are
subject to a double blind review process and should be professionally proofread
before submission. All manuscripts should be formatted according to the
ASIS&T proceedings template. (Disclaimer: SLACTIONS 2009 is not associated
with ASIS&T.) No manuscripts will be accepted that do not meet the required
format. <BR><BR>All accepted papers will be published on-line and in an
ISBN-registered CD-ROM/DVD-ROM of proceedings.<BR><BR>The Scientific Committee
will invite authors of selected full papers to provide revised and expanded
versions for publication in an ISBN-registered book.<BR><BR>The authors of the
best papers will be invited to provide revised and expanded versions for
publications in special editions of journals or as single contributions to
theme-specific journals.<BR><BR>Check out www.slactions.org regularly for more
information and developments on the book publisher, book series, and journal
venues for best papers.<BR><BR>Official language of the conference:<BR><BR>The
official language for the on-line space and all submissions is English only.
However, at the physical site of local chapters you can also use the native
language of that location.<BR><BR><BR><STRONG>Important
dates<BR></STRONG><BR> * February 28th, 2009 - Deadline for
paper submissions<BR><BR> * March 31st, 2009 - Submission
results provided to authors<BR><BR> * June 30th, 2009 -
Deadline for early registration<BR><BR> * July 31st, 2009 -
Deadline for print-ready versions of accepted papers<BR><BR> *
September 24-26th, 2009 - Conference</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff></FONT><BR><STRONG>Local
chapters<BR></STRONG><BR>Belgium - Ghent University<BR><BR>Brazil/Rio Grande do
Sul - Unisinos (Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos)<BR><BR>Brazil/São Paulo -
Pontificia Universidade Católica de São Paulo<BR><BR>Portugal/North -
Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Universidade do Minho, Universidade
de Aveiro, Universidade do Porto<BR><BR>USA/Texas - University of
Texas-Austin<BR><BR>USA/West Coast - University of
California-Berkeley<BR><BR><BR>Note: If you believe your institution can hold a
physical chapter in an as-yet unsupported region, please contact the
organization at info@slactions.org.<BR><BR><BR><BR><STRONG>Programme
Committee<BR></STRONG><BR><BR>Adriana Bruno, Universidade Federal de Juiz de
Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil<BR><BR>Ana Boa-Ventura, University of Texas-Austin,
USA<BR><BR>António Ramires Fernandes, Universidade do Minho,
Portugal<BR><BR>Augusto Abade, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal<BR><BR>Carlos
Santos, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal<BR><BR>Dor Abrahamson, University of
California-Berkeley, USA<BR><BR>Ederson Locatelli, Unisinos (Universidade do
Vale do Rio dos Sinos), Brazil<BR><BR>Eliane Schlemmer, Unisinos (Universidade
do Vale do Rio dos Sinos), Brazil<BR><BR>João Barroso, Universidade de
Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal<BR><BR>Leonel Morgado, Universidade de
Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal<BR><BR>Lucia Pesce, Pontifícia
Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Brazil<BR><BR>Luís Pedro, Universidade de
Aveiro, Portugal<BR><BR>Lynn Alves, Universidade do Estado da Bahia,
Brazil<BR><BR>Martin Leidl, Technische Universität Darmstadt,
Germany<BR><BR>Martin Valcke, Ghent University, Belgium<BR><BR>Miltiadis Lytras,
Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece<BR><BR>Nelson Zagalo,
Universidade do Minho, Portugal<BR><BR>Niall Winters, London Knowledge Lab,
UK<BR><BR>Paulo Frias, Universidade do Porto, Portugal<BR><BR>Pedro Almeida,
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal<BR><BR>Pedro Sequeira, Escola Superior de
Desporto de Rio Maior, Portugal<BR><BR>Pilar Lacasa, Universidad de Alcalá,
Spain<BR><BR>Sneha Veeragoudar Harrell, University of California-Berkeley,
USA<BR><BR>Stefan Göbel, ZGDV, Germany<BR><BR>Teresa Bettencourt, Universidade
de Aveiro, Portugal<BR><BR>Tim Savage, Trinity College Dublin,
Ireland<BR><BR><BR><STRONG>Organization<BR></STRONG><BR>Ana Boa-Ventura,
University of Texas-Austin, USA<BR><BR>Leonel Morgado - Universidade de
Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal<BR><BR>Nelson Zagalo - Universidade do
Minho, Portugal<BR><BR><BR><STRONG>Contacts<BR></STRONG><BR>Organization:
info@slactions.org<BR></P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>