Hi everyone, I am conducting my PhD research in Second Life on the subject of performance cultures in this new environment. The main research questions guiding my research are: 1) Do performances in ‘Second Life’ differ from the established forms of ‘First Life’ ones and if so, how? 2) What does this new medium, ‘Second Life’, offer that creates the possibility of making performances that would otherwise be impossible to produce in ‘First Life’? 3) Are performances produced within the ‘bleedthrough’ and if so how does dynamic support the work? 4) How is each individual performance within ‘Second Life’ influenced by the broader socio-political economical context within which it is produced? 5) How is Second Life a new performance genre and/ or new medium for performance? I have just started a bit more than two months ago. I am using ethnography as my research method and doing participant observation, surveys and interviews. I am also looking into the possibilities of running a component of a conference within SL and would appreciate any experiences other people have had doing similar projects. Regards, -- Maeva VEERAPEN BPA (Hons) PhD Student Centre of Drama and Theatre Studies School of English, Communications and Performance Studies Arts Faculty Monash University