Genealogy Seminar

Join the Research Center for a day of genealogical exploration with genetic genealogist Kate Penney Howard. The morning sessions will cover how to use the power of apps and tools to enhance your genealogy and build your family tree. Does artificial intelligence (AI) scare or intrigue you? We’ll explore how you can use AI to amplify your genealogical work. The afternoon sessions will discuss what happens when you take a DNA test and the results are unexpected. We will gain the knowledge and sensitivity needed to approach genetic surprises with understanding and grace. The workshop concludes with a thought-provoking session on navigating the intersection of factual genealogy and family lore, providing attendees with frameworks for preserving family stories while maintaining historical accuracy and addressing the complexities that arise when DNA results challenge long-held family narratives.

The Genealogy Seminar is Monday, May 19, from 9 am to 3 pm, held at Generations, 1500 Douglas Drive, Plymouth. Registration begins at 8:30 am. Lunch break will be on your own from Noon to 1 pm. The cost is $25 per person. Please register below.

Morning Sessions

Let Tech Work for You: Harnessing the Power of Apps and Tools

Are you encumbered with boxes of papers left to you be dear Aunt Madge? Have your grandchildren shown interest in your research, but they want to see information on their phones? Do you struggle with filling in the rest of the story (“the dash”) between a person’s birth and death? Not sure you’re ready to trade in your pencil for a stylus, but want to know more? This class is for you!

Using Artificial Intelligence to Amplify Your Genealogical Work

Dipping your toe into AI can be a daunting experience. Let’s explore how you can improve your research, extract more data, transcribe, translate, and creatively leverage tools and resources available to tech-embracing genealogists.

Afternoon Sessions

Genetic Genealogy, Empathy, and the NPE Community

“NPE” is what happens when a person takes a consumer DNA test and discovers that their biological parent or parent is “Not the Parent Expected.” It’s often a shock for individuals, and the discovery can trigger conflict and rejection both in the family they were raised with, and in their biological family as well. We will explore the history and culture surrounding how we identify family, and how consumer DNA testing has re-framed these concepts. Students will gain insights into the challenges faced by those experiencing NPE, developing empathy and practical skills for supporting individuals through this often turbulent journey of self-discovery. The course aims to equip participants with the knowledge and sensitivity needed to approach genetic surprises with understanding and grace.

Facts and Fables: Crafting Your Family Narrative

Our personal identity is comprised of facts, lore, and DNA. How do we navigate that well, effectively honoring our family history, even when faced with inaccuracies, embellishments, or outlandish fabrications? From deciphering the truth behind mythical ancestors to understanding the significance of half-remembered tales, we will grapple with the importance of preserving family stories. By addressing the challenge of reconciling truth and myth within family histories, this class empowers attendees to shape their family’s identity with clarity and integrity, discerning fact from fiction, and preserving the essence of their heritage while embracing the complexities of their ancestral past.

Registration Information

Please pre-register by completing the form below. We offer several payment options. You may mail a check, pay in person at the Center, pay on the day of the seminar, or call with your credit card information. Click here to register.

For a printable .pdf flier of the seminar, click here.