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Story and Images by Eirene Janus
 DEFINITION OF A RENAISSANCE AVATAR:
An avatar who has broad intellectual interests and is accomplished in areas of both the arts and the sciences.
Stone embodies the Renaissance Avatar more than any avatar I've met during my years in SL. A resident of Second Life since November 2006, Stone is a professor of mass communication at the University of North Carolina, using Second Life for alternative instruction sites and laboratory simulations to teach students about virtual worlds, new and old media, journalism, broadcasting and public relations. His interests range from virtual worlds to ham radio, the environment, digital storytelling, space, astronomy... the list goes on and on. He has poured these passions into multiple projects in Second Life, building a campus, a park, research academy and much more...
Stone has been a prolific builder since entering Second Life. Two must-sees are:
University of North Carolina in SL: Located in the Dotoorak region of the SL mainland, he has built a large campus composing twelve educational venues: classrroms, indoor and outdoor seminar areas, library, new media center and journalism newsroom, art gallery, computer lab and email center, and much more. There is even a Newbie Convenience Center where new students can transfer necessities to their inventory and change clothes in private.
Stone's Point Park, Dotbyeul (24, 114, 51): With the help of builder Lillyanne Lustre, Stone built a vast public park on mainland adjacent to the ocean. Some of its features include a 100m tall lighthouse guarding the bay, visitor center, water slide, English garden waterfalls, llama ride,the Stoneflower Gallery, and a Borg Cube dreadnought.
Some other builds: A Space Place, Research Academy, Home Sweet Home (a shelter for homeless residents who have suffered prejudice, harassment, griefing and abuse), a recreation of singer/songwriter Harry Chapin's A Better Place to Be. If dancing is your thing, check out Stone's Indigo Starry Night Dance Place, Taerae (52, 203, 501). Again, the list goes on and on...
Perhaps the best reflection of the sheer breadth of interests and projects that Stone is involved in, in both SL and RL is a visit to his website. And his sense of humor is delightfully evident in the 'Doodle House', a whimsical house that seems to have literally been drawn into existence. If you ever bump into Stone, ask him for a tour!
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