Another Introduction :)

Following Jesse's lead, I'll post an introduction and keep it very brief since I'm never sure what to say in these.

I'm currently a graduate student in the Communication department at the University of California, San Diego. My undergraduate degrees were completed in psychology and anthropology at the University of Southern California, and I had the privilege of working with Mimi Ito at the USC Annenberg Center on the Digital Youth project before coming to UCSD.

My first major research interest was in online fan communities for science fiction or anime series. Following my research on fandoms, I moved into the social communities in online games. I focused on the MMORPG Final Fantasy XI and spent quite a bit of time with the linkshell KirinTheDestroyers, an extremely friendly and tight-knit community of players who cannot be thanked enough for their help. In particular, I am interested in the social relationships and communities that are created in FFXI and how these relationships flow within the game and outside of the game into instant messages, websites, messageboards, and emails. I am also interested in how these communities facilitate learning and success within the game.