California Here We Come!

In early June Denise and I will embark on what has become an annual trip to California. The timing for this is anchored to include the conference of the Southern California Genealogical Society: 
For the last four years this conference has been enhanced by including an all day pre-conference that is focused solely on genetic genealogy. For full details click here:

On that DNA Thursday I will be making two presentations and taking part in another event.

Family History Plus Health History Leads to Personalized Healthcare
Genealogy records family relationships. Health history reveals causes of death, disabilities, chronic diseases, or known genetic disorders within families. How can you build an accurate family health/medical history? Should you? Can genealogists lead the way to personalized healthcare/medicine? Level: Beg., Int., Adv. (David R. Dowell, PhD)

Was Henderson Dowell's Father of African or European Descent?
At Emancipation Henderson Dowell of Wilkes County, North Carolina, was 20 years old and enslaved by Pricilla Dowell. His living descendants are mixed African-American and European-American. Did his paternal ancestors come to America from Europe or from Africa? Level: Beg., Int. (David R. Dowell, PhD)

Meet the DNA Authors
Get acquainted with the authors of recent DNA books. Learn what is covered in each book.
(Emily D. Aulicino, MA); (Blaine T. Bettinger, PhD, JD); (David R. Dowell, PhD)

Friday I get to go from presenter mode to learner mode in an all morning workshop.

Autosomal DNA Chromosome Mapping and Phasing Workshop
This workshop will review ways in which autosomal DNA can be mapped so that DNA segments may be attributed to individual ancestors. Participants will be shown how to begin or continue the process of mapping their DNA. In addition, techniques for phasing their DNA will be demonstrated. Level: Adv. (Tim P. Janzen, MD) Participants need to bring laptops to the workshop loaded with Excel or other spreadsheet program.

Later Friday I get back on the other side of the mike for a panel discussion.

DNA and Genealogy: Experts Discuss Latest Developments
DNA testing experts will discuss the connection between DNA testing and genealogy, what tests are available, and which companies provide which tests. Advances being made in the field of Genetic Genealogy will be examined. Audience questions will be answered in the second half of the program.
Level: Beg., Int., Adv. Moderator: Alice M. Fairhurst, MS, Panelists: Angie Bush, MS; David R. Dowell, PhD; Debbie A. Kennett; Drew Smith, MLS; Diahan Southard

The Family part of the trip

While I am conferring, Denise will be visiting her sister and brother who live nearby. Also on Friday our non-biological grandson, Cameron Adams, will be graduating from San Luis Obispo High School. He also happens to be my 10th cousin -- twice removed. We will also help him celebrate his birthday on Sunday. 

On Monday, in what is becoming an annual tradition, we will meet a group of our former neighbors and friends for lunch at the Great American Fish Company at the T-pier in Morro Bay where the sea otters have been in great abundance this Spring.

Tuesday we plan to have a late lunch with two newly discovered 4th cousins. One of them is a former colleague I have known for years but had no idea we were related until last Fall. The other will be flying in from Texas for the occasion. They are half-sisters who met for the first time in November. For their story see here.

The following morning we will fly back to Nashville exhausted but with many memories to cherish.
 

Genetic Genealogy Reaches New Milestone

In June genetic genealogy will pass a new milestone in its growth and development in the US. Two simultaneous conferences will occur -- one on each coast. It is notable that high quality speakers can be provided at both. I anticipate that both will attract large audiences.

The first will be DNA Day co-sponsored by the Southern California Genealogical Society and the International Society of Genetic Genealogists. This Thursday DNA Day is now in its third year as a lead in to the annual three day Jamboree. The 2013 and 2014 events were excellent.

 

For those of you who cannot attend either of these events live, the Burbank event offers "24 hours of exceptional DNA education without leaving home." The link in the previous sentence leads to a detailed list of presentations. For those who will be in Burbank, learning opportunities continue on Friday morning. At least one of the Friday workshops is already Sold Out, but there should be plenty of room at the consultation tables.

I'm giving two presentations on Thursday, will be at a consultation table on Friday morning and on an "Ask the Experts Panel" late Saturday afternoon. I hope to see many of you there.

On Saturday, June 6th, those of you on the East Coast will have the opportunity to attend a slightly different event. It is being billed by its organizers as:

The biggest, most extraordinary and most inclusive family reunion in history!

About the Global Family Reunion

What: A day-long festival of music, food, comedy, speeches and contests celebrating the fact that humans are one big family.
When: June 6, 2015
Where: The New York Hall of Science, on the grounds of the World’s Fair.
The Agenda: It will be a Family Reunion meets a World’s Fair meets a music festival meets a TED conference. There will be talks by celebrities, scientists and comedians! Music! Food! Exhibits! Contest! Games for all ages!
The Cause: Alzheimer’s. All proceeds go directly to charity.
Who’s Invited: You! All seven billion members of the human family. Those with a proven connection will get a bracelet and be part of the biggest family photo in history. See GlobalFamilyReunion.com for more details.
Entertainers and speakers: Henry Louis Gates Jr., comedian Nick Kroll, Lisa Loeb, Sister Sledge, Daniel Radcliffe (live or via video), filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, author A.J. Jacobs, Dr. Oz and comedian Michael Ian Black, and many, many, MANY MORE!.
Activities: Scavenger hunts, crafts, family trivia quiz by Ken Jennings, genealogy, storytelling, historical interpreters and over 450 exhibits from the New York Hall of Science, one of the top 10 science museums in the United States.
The Host: Conceived by bestselling author A.J. Jacobs. 

This event is cosponsored by FTDNA and Bennett Greenspan is a speaker.

That these events can be held on the same weekend and both have every indication they will be successful is a major milestone for genetic genealogy in the US. We need to take a moment and congratulate ourselves and then get back to work. We need to sell a lot of test kits at both events to build up our databases.

Genetic Genealogy Reading List

I just returned home from at trip to California for Genealogy Jamboree sponsored by the Southern California Genealogical Society Society (SCGS) which was preceded by an excellent day long pre-conference "Family History & DNA." 

Those of you unable to attend or to remotely view the streamed sessions could benefit from the excellent reading list prepared for inclusion in the syllabus of the DNA Day attendees. The "DNA & Genealogy Reference Books" list was complied by Bonny Cook on behalf of the DNA Interest Group of SCGS and the International Society of Genetic Genealogists (ISOGG). I believe Alice Fairhurst deserves credit for the companion list of "DNA Web Sites of Interest to Genetic Genealogists." You may find both of these lists useful in building your knowledge of genetic genealogy.