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Show DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE Monday, December 7, 2009 3 Library offers 'second' chance at life Virtual Marriott includes art exhibit for avatars Jake Hibbard People often hear about Second Life and think it's just another online game, said Thomas Ferrill, a CMS employee. Actually, it is basically what its name says—just like life, except online, he said. Users can network and meet other people much like on Facebook. They can also research almost any topic, watch live concerts and even attend college classes, Irsik said. Last spring, the U fine arts department used the island to broadcast a live performance called "InterPlay: An Artonomy," said Mary Ross, the library spokeswoman. Irsik said he hopes the U will continue to use Second Life for broadcasting more events and will eventually offer classes through it. More than 30o universities and colleges worldwide have held online classes or conducted research through Second Life, according to an article in the magazine Government Technology. Irsik said online classes are better when they are done through Second Life, compared to other options for online schooling, because students can watch STAFF WRITER If students are bored with their own lives, the Marriott Library is hoping they'll go online and get a new one. Since spring 2007, the library has owned an "island" in Second Life, a virtual online world. Second Life, which launched in 2003, might best be described as "The Sims on steroids," said Matt Irsik, head of U Computer Media Services. Second Life users create an online character, called an avatar, and can explore the online world by traveling to millions of different specialized islands within it. Although the library spends about $2,000 in membership fees on the island each year, Ross said the price is worth exploring how the technology could potentially benefit the U, including hosting art events and classes. Irsik and other CMS employees were showing off "Marriott Library Island" on Thursday at the real-life library, in the new virtual art gallery that was added in the recently completed expansion. MUSLIMS continued from Page 1 Utah has been free from negativity and stereotyping ever since he moved here from the Gaza Strip in 2002. Arafat delivered a sermon Friday at the Muslim Student Association of the University of Utah's weekly Muslim prayer meeting in the Union Den about the need to improve the community and to worship with truth and sincerity to combat negative perceptions of Islam. "Islam is being attacked all over the world," he said. "Even here." Harbi said the media's coverage of the Fort Hood shootings, in which an Army psychiatrist is charged with killing 13 people and wounding many others, has been dominated by speculation about the gunman's links to Islamic radicalism and has consequently fed negative stereotypes about Muslims in general. "In this day and age, it's an ongoing battle being a Muslim and having to defend your religion," Harbi said. Najib Amiri, a senior in biology and head of the MSAUU, said he agrees that coverage of the Fort Hood tragedy has focused on linking Islam with violence but that he believes such perceptions can be changed through efforts to do good. RESEARCH continued from Page 1 the differences are between the two and to create objective tests to help psychiatrists make a better diagnosis, said William Marchand, principal investigator and U professor of psychiatry and psychology. Many times, when people receive clinical help after their first major episode of depression, the therapist or psychiatrist will misdiagnose patients with clinical depression when they might actually have bipolar disorder, Marchand said. If this happens, they often will be placed on the wrong medication, which can make their symptoms worse, he said. "After an episode of depression, we cannot tell if a person has bipolar disorder or major depression," Marchand said. "Right now, there is no good way to objectively tell the real news in real time rieb P;i1V 201, daily utan chronicle • COM an instructor, either live or through a previously recorded session, while sitting in a virtual classroom. They can even interact with other students in the class via text or voice chat. Also, because everyone is an avatar, class discussions are more open than in real life, he said. "(Second Life online classes) allow for more free-flowing conversation without the fear of being politically correct (because) you can't see if someone in the class is 6o or (disabled) like in a real classroom," he said. Christopher Creveling, a freshman in mechanical engineering, said he had never heard of Second Life, but thought taking a class through the virtual world would be interesting. "It would definitely be a different experience than any other online class," Creveling said. Attending classes as a created avatar, however, would be strange, he said. "It's kind of like hiding yourself from society," he said. j.hibbard@ chronicle.utah.edu "As a Muslim, it motivates me to do more in the community," Amiri said. Both Harbi and Amiri said they appreciated a statement released by Sen. Orrin Hatch in the wake of the shootings, in which he sent condolences and signaled his support to members of Utah's Muslim community. They said the remarks reflect the generally positive treatment they receive in Utah. However, Amiri said an online news story about Hatch's remarks prompted some nasty anti-Islamic comments from online users, revealing that, despite the general public's sensitivity toward Muslims in Utah, negative undercurrents do exist. "You could see the other side of people (in the comments)," Amiri said. "It was shocking to read some of those comments." For now, Muslim students at the U say they get the impression that these negative sentiments are largely confined to the online sphere where users can post under total anonymity. Arslan Majid, a junior in electrical engineering who grew up in Murray, said neither he nor his friends had encountered negativity toward them or their faith. Amiri said having healthy dialogue with other religious organizations on campus and doing volunteer work play a difference between (clinical depression) and bipolar (disorder)." The study will take place in two phases. In the first, researchers will recruit subjects in three groups: those with bipolar disorder, those with depression and those without any previous neurological disorders, said Susanna Johnson, the study coordinator. The researchers will give the participants a long survey of questions to determine if they fit the correct criteria. The study has strict criteria that each subject must meet in order to participate. The people in the control group—those without previous neurological disorders— are the easiest to recruit because they can better control the outcome, Johnson said. To find this group, the School of Medicine is posting signs don't have time? registering for Chrony e-mail newsletter procrastinating everything else you should be doing . ailyutahchronicle.com/register watching YouTube videos {A strong foundation, for a solid career.} THEIN SOK/The Daily Utah Chronicle Muslim students pray during their weekly prayer gathering in the Union. The meeting is held every Friday, role in the good experience that he and fellow Muslims have had at the U. "It's always been a positive relationship," he said. c.mumford@chronicle.utah.edu While the participants are in the fMRI machine, researchers will ask them to do a series of activities, such as answering questions or pushing buttons, and the scanner will record which part of the brain lights up, or activates, Johnson said. 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IC OG A Loose Diamond Headquarters Matt Irsik from Campus Media Services explains to guests how Second Life works and about the virtual Marriott Library. TIME SPENT... around campus asking anyone who matches the criteria to give their time for the study. "Past research has shown right-handed people and lefthanded people have different brain activities," and brain activities between male and females are also different, Johnson said. "Any factor that might play into brain activity, we control." After making sure subjects meet their criteria, researchers will take brain scans of the three groups, using a functional MRI scan, Marchand said. BE NNION JEWELERS RICHARD PAYSON/The Daily Utah Chronicle 4 7er J. Brooks JEWELERS Simon Fashion Plaza ♦ 152 East Winchester, Murray ♦ 801.266.4747 The Gateway ♦ 157 South Rio Grande, Salt Lake City ♦ 801.456.4747 www.jbrooksjewelers.com |
