RootsTech and FGS starting tomorrow

Tomorrow.

Can you believe it?

The massive, blow-your-mind-sized FGS-RootsTech conference kicks off tomorrow in Salt Lake City.

As The Legal Genealogist noted yesterday, any national conference is enough to make a genealogist feel like a kid in a candy store.

And with both the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2015 Conference and RootsTech starting tomorrow, all I can say is… wow.

There’s just so much to choose from… and you don’t want to miss a thing. Everything from the law and ethics, and we covered that yesterday, to my second-favorite topic, DNA.

And to help you make sure you don’t miss any of those don’t-miss DNA sessions, here’s what’s going to be available to choose from (with updates in red so you don’t miss them — and apologies to my friend CeCe Moore!).

Wednesday, February 11

2:45 p.m., FGS-W-122
Bringing Your Society Into the 21st Century with a DNA Interest Group
by CeCe Moore
Genealogy societies benefit by attracting new and younger members. Creating a DNA Interest Group (DIG) is one successful way of doing so.

Thursday, February 12

1:30 p.m., RT-1759
Genetic Genealogy: The Birth of the DNA Revolution
by Bennett Greenspan
This presentation describes how my personal quest to solve family genealogical mysteries led to discoveries that sparked the genetic genealogy revolution. I’ll discuss how various forms of DNA testing work for genealogy and what the future holds for the field.

3:00 p.m., RT-1460
Exploring Family Stories with DNA from PBS’ Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
by CeCe Moore
Genetic genealogy has been extensively utilized to explore the family stories of the guests on season two of Finding Your Roots, but much of that research never makes it to the screen. Get a behind-the-scenes look into the techniques used.

4:30 p.m., GS1406
Getting Started in Genetic Genealogy
by Diahan Southard
It is all the rage, this DNA testing for genealogy. But what can it tell you? Even more importantly, what CAN’T it tell you? Learn the basics of DNA testing and, walk away with confidence in this area of research.

Friday, February 13

10:30, RT1517
Using 23andMe’s Ancestry and Genealogy Tools to Learn about Family History
by Joanna Mountain
We will focus on using 23andMe’s Genetic Genealogy tools to answer questions and make discoveries about your family history. You will learn how how you are related to DNA relatives based on shared DNA segments inherited from common ancestors.

2:30 p.m. RT2263
AncestryDNA
by Kenny Freestone
Join experts from AncestryDNA to learn how the latest improvements in matching and the power behind DNA Circles (recently released in beta) can help your research. Find unique ways to use your DNA results and pick up where records leave off.

4:00 p.m., FGS-F-323
Genetic Genealogy Standards
by CeCe Moore
Under the guidance of Blaine Bettinger and CeCe Moore, a committee has developed standards for the use of genetic genealogy by the genealogy community. This presentation will review those standards.

Saturday, February 14

10:30 a.m., FGS-S-403
Determining Kinship with DNA
Angie Bush
DNA can confirm, refute, or provide new avenues of research. We will explore case studies showing the application of DNA testing as part of the GPS in establishing kinship and identity. This session will be recorded.

11:30 a.m., APG Luncheon
DNA Discoveries: Hidden African Ancestry and Jefferson’s Blood
by CeCe Moore

1:00 p.m., FGS-S-409
The Power of DNA: Introduction to Genetic Genealogy
by CeCe Moore
Understanding the basics of the four types of DNA and three types of genetic genealogy tests is essential to successfully applying genetic genealogy to further your research.

2:30 p.m., FGS-S-414/RT1496
Spit Please! A DNA Case Study
A.C. Ivory
This case study shows how amazing DNA testing can be. Through DNA my mother finally proved who her biological father was. This case study shows how using DNA and conventional research can break down brick walls and family myths and legends.

4:00 p.m., FGS-S-419/RT 1662
5 Fun New Ways to Improve Your Genealogical Research
by James Brewster
This presentation will teach people how new features FTDNA launched (or will launch) in 2014 will help their genealogical research. Also a sneak preview of what’s in store for the future at Family Tree DNA.

Note

If the session says RT, it’s a RootsTech session and you need a RootsTech pass. If it says FGS, you need an FGS pass. And if you got one of those passes and now want the other one too, it’s just $39 as an add-on. If the session says GS, you can attend with the low-cost Getting Started pass.

Hope to see you there!