RootsTech 2023 Virtual Presentation Highlights

RootTech 2023 included in-person attendees for the first time since the COVID pandemic started. It included virtual sessions which is the way I watched. This year's conference had a lot of great presentations.

But of all the presentations that were offered, there were a few that really stood out to me, either because they provided me with information I didn't know before or because they inspired me to try a new research technique. Here are a few that I found particularly interesting:

• DNA Misconceptions - Kelli Jo Bergheimer
• Reconstruct Your Ancestor's Lives with Google - Lisa Louise Cooke
• My Messy Complicated Birth Roots Story - Diahan Southard
• The Latest Research Tools to Assist with Your DNA Matches - Gal Zrihen Sponsored by: MyHeritage
• What's New at Ancestry in 2023? Crista Cowan

One interesting point that came up during the "DNA Misconceptions" presentation was the fact that phasing, or automated separation of your genome by parent, can be wrong, producing false matches and throwing your ethnicity results off. This is an important reminder that while DNA testing can be a powerful tool for genealogical research, it's important to be aware of its limitations and to interpret your results with caution.

"Reconstructing Your Ancestor's Lives" inspired me to try more strategies for searching for family information on Google. I actually found a newspaper article about a great uncle I hadn't seen before. I had never heard of the newspaper called the Calumet Index, which covered the Pullman area of Chicago before, either. My great-uncle William Kappel was mentioned in the newspaper with others who had served in WWII from that area. He was killed in Europe, Germany, during WWII as the paper states, and his wife is also mentioned.

"My Messy Complicated Birth Roots" reinforced the fact that grouping your matches is important and close matches you cannot identify could be key to solving your brickwalls.

MyHeritage's new tool, "cM Explainer™", which estimates your relationships to a match sounds like a helpful tool. Using the number of shared cMs, the age of your match, and yourself, to point to possible relationships is useful.

Finally, Ancestry.com's group messaging may help facilitate collaboration and encourage matches to respond. This could be a useful tool for those who are looking to connect with others who share their family history interests and work together to uncover new information.

RootsTech 2023 was an informative and inspiring event. Whether you're just starting out on your genealogical journey or you're a seasoned researcher, there was something for everyone at this year's conference. I can't wait to see what next year's RootsTech has in store!