Time to Make Choices

 

An email I received midweek reminded me: it's time to make my choices about the upcoming RootsTech conference. Yes, I know it doesn't begin until March 6 this year, but with 113 online workshops to choose from over the three full days of the event, this sounds like an opportunity well worth some advanced consideration.

Just looking over the RootsTech calendar of online events, I can see there are several sessions focused on technology—and especially the idea of integrating the use of artificial intelligence in genealogical research. Sessions on using DNA testing figure somewhat prominently in the workshop offerings—including a talk by now-retired Family Tree DNA founder, Bennett Greenspan, called "Bennett's Y-Chromosomal Time Machine."

Because of the worldwide focus of the organizers of RootsTech, it's no surprise to find several workshops focused on ethnic research. Everything from several sessions on addressing the many challenges of African-American research or Jewish genealogy to exploring Native American research can be found on the schedule. But that's not all. There are sessions on exploring Central and South American roots, Chinese ancestry, as well as the expected European origins such as Danish, Norwegian, Scottish, Irish, and French.

I was particularly encouraged to see a couple sessions being offered on Polish research, by fellow genealogy blogger Julie Szczepankiewicz of "From Shepherds and Shoemakers." It isn't often that I find any workshops on that topic in general conferences, despite the United States including a sizable Polish diaspora. Since Polish research figures prominently in my goals for my Twelve Most Wanted each year, I'd like to see more of such training made available.

Besides Polish research, another annual focus for me involves following my father-in-law's Irish ancestors through Canada to the U.S. In one particularly tricky branch of his family, I have been partnering with two Canadian researchers who are also interested in this same set of Irish surnames. We have lately been looking at emigration schemes from Ireland to Canada, some of them pre-famine, and for that I was delighted to find a RootsTech offering for this year on that very topic: American Ancestors' Melanie McComb discussing "Escaping the Famine: Exploring Irish Settlements in Canada."

Finally, for my mission to continue sharing family stories—especially those difficult-to-face episodes in our families' past—I found genea-blogger Laura Hedgecock's session, "Navigating Sensitive Topics," to be essential for those of us who need to put "difficult chapters of the family's history" into writing.

There is, of course, no way I could absorb each one of these 113 sessions offered at this year's RootsTech in a week's sitting. No problem, though: many workshops will be available on-demand for up to three years after the conference's close. Scheduling my watch list not only to plan my attendance but for later viewing will probably be a wise move, just in case last-minute Life happens. It's good that room for flexibility has been scheduled into the choices for the RootsTech plan, too.