It’s rare that a new type of event is introduced to the genealogical community. The Southern California Genealogical Society and the International Society of Genetic Genealogy are proud to announce such an event.
“
Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013” is a one-day conference designed to fully explore the application of genetic genealogy in researching family history. It will be held Thursday, June 6, 2013, at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport, Burbank, California. Registrations are open now and an early-bird registration discount is in place through April 30.
“We are so excited that this new conference will break new ground in genetic genealogy gatherings,” said SCGS president Alice Fairhurst, who helped to found the society’s DNA interest group and has been actively applying DNA in her own genealogy research. “Family History and DNA” differs from other DNA events in several ways.
First, speakers are among the most highly respected and knowledgeable professionals in the DNA and genetic genealogy universe.
The opening session will be conducted by Spencer Wells, PhD, an Explorer-in-Residence with the National Geographic Society. He leads The Genographic Project, which is collecting and analyzing hundreds of thousands of DNA samples from people around the world. Dr. Wells’ presentation is “The Genographic Project and the Rise of Citizen Science.”
Genetics has revolutionized our understanding of human history. Advances in genetic technology have allowed ever deeper insights into the human story. Now whole-genome sequences and large-scale arrays of genetic markers are providing a richer view of our shared past, revealing details that remained hidden using other genetic tools. Since 2005, the Genographic Project has used the latest genetic technology to expand our knowledge of the human story, and its pioneering use of DNA testing to engage and involve the public in the research effort has helped to create a new breed of "citizen scientist." Geno 2.0 expands the scope for citizen science, harnessing the power of the crowd to discover new details of human population history.
The luncheon speaker will be Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., PhD, director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University. Dr. Gates is an American literary critic, educator, scholar, writer and film maker. His programs for PBS, including
Finding Your Roots,
African American Lives,
Faces of America and
Oprah’s Roots, explored family histories of a number of individuals through the use of DNA. (
Please note that the luncheon requires an additional fee of $20 for paid registrants of the Thursday DNA conference, and $60 for spouses or guests of those registrants.)
Other speakers include Judy G. Russell, JD, CG; Richard Hill; Emily D. Aulicino; Katherine Hope Borges; CeCe Moore; Tim Janzen, MD; Blaine Bettinger, JD; and Debbie Parker Wayne, CG. We are grateful for the enthusiastic support show by all our speakers, especially Dr. Well and Dr. Gates, through their participation in this conference.
Second, “Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013” is produced by independent groups, not for-profit DNA organizations. The Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) and the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) have joined forces to offer this inaugural DNA event. While it is independent of financial support by any of the commercial DNA companies, the event will provide equal access to Family Tree DNA, 23andMe, and AncestryDNA.
CeCe Moore, speaker, conference co-chair and Southern California Regional Coordinator for ISOGG explained, “I've dreamed of a genetic genealogy conference sponsored by ISOGG for a long time, and I am thrilled to be working in cooperation with SCGS on this inaugural event. Holding the conference in conjunction with the Genealogy Jamboree helps us reach many family historians who would otherwise not be able to attend.”
Finally, the event’s three session tracks are organized by the level of experience using genetic genealogy, and not based on the attendee’s knowledge of family history. Sessions include beginner basics, use of DNA in finding adoptee families, famous DNA, autosomal DNA, mitochondrial DNA, analyzing results and other topics. The final hour of the day will be a resource hour, with small-group discussions and supplier assistance.
Complete information about “Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013” and the Southern California Genealogical Society’s 44th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree can be found on the Jamboree website,
http://www.genealogyjamboree.com.
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The Southern California Genealogical Society is located in Burbank, California. It sponsors the annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, which will be held June 7 through 9, 2013, at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank, Burbank, California. The pre-event is the inaugural “Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013” conference.
