Jamboree 2015 - Meet the Speaker: Blaine T. Bettinger, PhD, JD

Blaine Bettinger, Ph.D., J.D., is an intellectual property attorney in Syracuse, New York. In 2007 he started The Genetic Genealogist blog, one of the most respected and easy-to-understand of the blogs on this topic. He has been interviewed on genealogical and personal genomics topics and quoted in Newsweek, New Scientist, Wired magazine, and others.

Blaine is a frequent lecturer on DNA topics, including recent presentations at the Southern California Jamboree DNA Day, RootsTech, the New England Regional Genealogical Conference, the inaugural New York Family History Conference, The Genealogy Event in NYC, and local and regional societies throughout New York. He has also given several webinars on DNA topics.

Blaine is also a respected leader in genetic genealogy education. He authored I have the Results of My Genetic Genealogy Test, Now What? in 2008, one of the first genetic genealogy e-books. An updated version is distributed by Family Tree DNA to every customer and is freely available online to anyone interested. He also teaches or co-teaches several genetic genealogy courses.

Blaine actively uses DNA in his own genealogical research. He is the administrator of the Bettinger Surname Project and co-administrator for the R1b-L1/S26 Y-DNA Haplogroup Project. He is also one of the first 150 members of the Personal Genome Project to have their entire genome sequenced and made publicly available for beneficial medical research.

TH007 Thursday June 4, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
How to Prepare for the Future of Genetic Genealogy
Learn about how companies are using DNA and genealogies to reconstruct the genomes of ancestors. We'll also learn how that information might be used in the future, including creating entire or partial family trees based soley on DNA test results! What can you do to help these efforts, and why should you?

TH011 Thursday June 4, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Genetic Genealogy Standards
A committee of experienced genetic genealogists has recently developed a set of standards to help guide genealogists through tricky legal and ethical issues associated with DNA. Together we'll review those standards and a few examples of their application.

TH017 Thursday June 4, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
DNA and Pop Culture: Using Harry Potter and Star Wars to Teach DNA
A genealogist can learn about DNA from pop culture! Join us as we use family trees and DNA from pop culture phenomena like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Star Wars to learn about DNA testing.

FR019 Friday June 5, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Genetic Genealogy and the Next Generation
Introduction to Genetic Genealogy for youth and the role that DNA will play in the future of family history.

SA048 Saturday June 6, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Panel: Ask the Experts about DNA and Genealogy
What is the current "state of the art" in relation to each of the major DNA tests: Y-DNA, mtDNA, autosomal DNA, and X chromosome?  Which companies test which?  What advances are being made in the field?