DNA Interest Group

Due to the positive response to the latest tool in the genealogist’s tool box- DNA testing – a DNA Interest group was formed in 2005 and held their first meeting in conjunction with the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) on July 30.  Since that time we have held 4-6 meetings each year to help individuals understand the process and interpret their results.

Subsequent meetings have featured Katherine Borges, president of ISOGG; Colleen Fitzpatrick and Andrew Yeiser, authors; and DNA researchers such as Bonny Cook, Alice Fairhurst, Kenny Hedgpeth, Kathy Johnston, Richard Kenyon, Cheri Mello, Doug Miller, Gayle Old-Smith, and Ann McKenzie Stansbarger.

Please check the calendar for our meetings which usually occur on a fifth Saturday from 10:00am-2:00pm.  Attendees can bring a bag lunch or order food as a group. Upcoming meetings include:

Sat, Jan 30, 2010 – Helping to Make Your DNA Projects Effective
Presenter: Alice Fairhurst, DNA Interest Chair
Project administrators need lots of assistance in order to make projects be as effective as possible.  Learn how managing your personal result affects the project as a whole and how you can make projects more effective.

Sat, May 29, 2010 – Uncovering Prehistory's Mysteries through your own DNA
Presenter: Kathy Johnston, DNA Interest Team
Objectives: 1) To demonstrate how the Internet can help you find DNA of related people, both dead and alive, 2)To introduce some DNA haplotypes that might carry ancient secrets, 3)To dispel myths about ancient history and then replace with new stories (may be controversial), 4) To show how to have fun integrating your own DNA information with what is known about history, archaeology, population genetics and anthropology.

Future Meetings: Sat, July 31, 2010  and Sat, Oct 30, 2010.

For information regarding the DNA Interest Group contact Alice Fairhurst, 626-331-4791, alicefairhurst@gmail.com or Bonny Cook, cookdna@earthlink.net or Kathy Johnston, kjohns7900@aol.com

For information on the International Society of Genetic Genealogists (ISOGG) contact the ISOGG Southern California Regional Coordinator, Kenny Hedgpeth at 714-264-4189, digmyroots2@gmail.com  To join ISOGG (no dues) go to the website at www.ISOGG.org

To order a DNA kit go to http://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?Group=SCGS