Above the Book: What's Up at the Lab?
VWBPE 2024 Above the Book
Presented: March 14, 2024
Host: Phelan Corrimal (Kevin Feenan)
Guests: Grumpity Linden, Patch Linden, Kali Linden, Kyle Linden
Categories: Above the Book
Linden Lab
Diamond Sponsor of VWBPE 2024
The staff at Linden Lab have long been our partners in supporting education in virtual environments. They have collaborated with VWBPE and the Rockcliffe University Consortium on several initiatives to enable the conference to improve the ability of our education community members to network, develop and implement their own projects.
Join Kevin Feenan/Phelan Corrimal as he discusses the newest trends in technology and innovation as it applies to the educational community. Joining Kevin will be members of the team from Linden Lab: Grumpity, Kali and Signal. This popular session will cover trends occurring within the virtual and augmented reality space and provide insight into how educators can prepare themselves.
GRUMPITY LINDEN
Senior Vice President of Product and Engineering, Linden Lab
Grumpity Linden leads the charge in evolving Second Life, driving growth, enhancing the digital economy, and fostering community cohesion with a blend of strategic vision and self-deprecating humor. Her journey to Linden Lab, beginning as a contractor in 2009 and transitioning to full-time in 2014, was enriched by experiences across diverse industries including technology, higher education, and oil & gas. These roles fueled her passion for exploring both virtual and physical worlds and for building meaningful connections—both personal and professional.
Holding both a Master’s and a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and a BS in Psychology from Johns Hopkins University, Grumpity finds leading the Second Life product uniquely rewarding. It allows her to leverage her dual background, blending technical insight with an understanding of human behavior. Her leadership philosophy is rooted in empowerment, trust-building, and the love for solving the complex puzzles inherent in guiding a platform as dynamic and community-centric as Second Life. She is not only committed to advancing the virtual landscape but also deeply invested in nurturing the vibrant community that makes Second Life thrive.
KALI LINDEN
Director of Engineering, Linden Lab
Kali Linden stands at the helm of three small and exceptional teams responsible for enhancing the user experience across Second Life’s vast digital landscape. Under Kali Linden’s leadership, this talented group develops and maintains a wide array of Resident-facing web properties and critical internal APIs, including the Marketplace, Web Search, Linden Homes, Land stores, Dashboard, Accounts pages, Feeds, Places, Auctions, and Cashier, among others. This collaborative effort ensures that Second Life remains an ever-evolving, secure, and engaging world for its users. Celebrated for their innovation and dedication, Kali Linden’s team is central to fostering the platform’s dynamic community and digital economy, testament to their collective vision and hard work.
Beyond the professional sphere, Kali Linden’s passion for fostering growth and creativity shines through a longstanding commitment to mentoring middle and high school students in STEAM. This dedication has inspired the next generation of creators, with students achieving remarkable feats such as building visual novels in Ren’Py and light-seeking mouse robots. Additionally, she co-founded a non-profit organization that has assisted over 300 individuals so far in navigating their career paths. At the heart of Kali Linden’s philosophy lies a belief in the transformative power of technology, art, and community, driving forward Second Life’s mission to create a world where anything is possible.
SIGNAL LINDEN
Director of Second Life Server and Viewer teams, Linden Lab
Signal Linden is an engineer and recently anointed Director of Second Life Server and Viewer teams. He was attracted to the new media art and creative aspects of Second Life in 2005, and joined the company in 2015 after working at Amazon, CareerBuilder and the Grand Rapids Public Library system. He believes virtual worlds can push the envelope of experience, and is a strong proponent of open source software and development.
Tags: linden
