Join us for a day of online discovery, innovation, discussion, and practical learning as we explore tools to harness technological advances that impact family history and delve into the future of genealogical research. The second annual NYG&B online technology symposium will feature a variety of topics to assist genealogists in evaluating and using new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced DNA tools within the framework of reasonably exhaustive research. This unique online event will provide valuable insights and tools to help you uncover your family's history in the digital age.
All sessions will be recorded and made available to registrants for on-demand viewing through December 16, 2024.
Symposium Schedule
|
9:00 – 9:05 a.m. |
Welcoming Remarks by D. Joshua Taylor, President, NYG&B |
|
|
9:05 – 9:40 a.m. |
Keynote Address: Exploring New Frontiers in Genealogical Research Presented by Patrick Smith, Technology Executive, Google |
In this talk Mr. Smith will shed light on the future of technology within genealogical research, its advantages and effects, and give guidance on how machine learning technologies can help researchers with document analysis and information retrieval. |
|
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. |
Integrating New Tools: FamilySearch Full-Text Search, ChatGPT, and More Presented by D. Joshua Taylor, NYG&B President |
This session will explore how to effectively integrate FamilySearch's new full-text search tool, AI-powered assistants like ChatGPT, and other technological advancements to conduct reasonably exhaustive genealogical research. Examples will include research based on New York families and elsewhere. |
|
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. |
Leveraging Genetic Genealogy Tools to Meet the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) Presented by Angie Bush, MS, Research Manager, AncestryProGenealogists |
This session will explore various company-developed and third-party genetic genealogy tools that can significantly enhance your research efforts and help meet the GPS’s requirement for reasonably exhaustive research. Attendees will learn which tools are most valuable and how they can be used to expand research, validate findings, and uncover previously unknown connections. Practical strategies for integrating these tools with traditional research methods will also be covered, ensuring a comprehensive and robust genealogical investigation and more reliable conclusions. |
|
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. |
Lunch Break |
|
|
1:15 – 2:15 p.m. |
Records and Robots: How AI is changing FamilySearch Presented by John K. Alexander, Senior Product Manager, FamilySearch |
AI is disrupting our world, and genealogical work is no exception. This session will review the specific cases where AI is being applied at FamilySearch, what has worked well, what we have learned, and what we see coming for the future. |
|
2:30 – 3:15 p.m. |
Document Processing and Software Exploration with Large Language Models Presented by Ryan Gleason, Digital Services VP, NYG&B |
In this session Ryan will relate his day-to-day experiences using large language model AI tools, particularly ChatGPT and Google’s Document AI, in the context of family history research and digital archiving. He will cover the successes and failures as he discovered how to use AI tools to get documents and software to overperform. He will also teach novice users how to recognize tasks suitable for AI assistance, how to converse with AI chat, and how to troubleshoot. |
|
3:30 – 4 p.m. |
Panel Discussion |
|
|
4:00 p.m. |
Event Ends |
|
Pricing
- NYG&B Member Early Registration (by October 1, 2024): $99
- General Registration: $129
About the Presenters
John K. Alexander MA, MLIS, has worked at FamilySearch for 15 years across Cataloging, Indexing, Acquisitions and Publishing. For the last eight years he has been involved in the application of Artificial Intelligence to the FamilySearch records collections. John lives in Bountiful, Utah, with his wife and 5 kids and enjoys reading, biking, and woodworking.
Angie Bush, MS, is a research manager with AncestryProGenealogists in Salt Lake City. She specializes in U.S. research, Canada, and English, Irish and Scottish immigration to North America, and using genetic evidence. Angie has been interested in her genealogy since she was very young. After college, she spent several years working in biotech while continuing to pursue her genealogy hobby. With the growing popularity and introduction of autosomal DNA testing in 2012, she decided to combine her two loves into one career. Her favorite type of research involves solving decades-old “brick walls” using a combination of traditional records and genetic evidence. She is a popular speaker and presenter and enjoys attending conferences where she can connect with others who share her passion for genealogy.
Ryan Gleason oversees the NYG&B’s digital properties, including the digitization and maintenance of record collections and their corresponding search tools. Prior to the NYG&B, Ryan was the Director of Digital Strategy for New York Institute of Technology, one of the State’s premier STEM institutions. He specializes in front-end content development, search engine optimization, and site redesigns, especially as pertains to education and ecommerce.
Patrick Smith is a technology executive at Google, leading AI for the Telecom, Entertainment, and Gaming industries at Google Cloud. He is a long-time practitioner in AI and machine learning, and he has taught, conducted novel research, and written a book on the subject. Patrick is an active genealogist, a New York Genealogical & Biographical Society (NYG&B) Trustee, and is involved in the leadership of several hereditary organizations.
D. Joshua Taylor has been president of the NYG&B since 2016 and is an officer, trustee ex officio, on NYG&B’s Board of Trustees. A nationally known and recognized genealogist, Joshua has held senior leadership positions with Findmypast and the New England Historic Genealogical Society and has volunteered in leadership positions for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and other organizations. A prolific author and popular speaker, Joshua has been a coordinator for courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh and is the recipient of RootsTech’s Distinguished Presenter Award. He has been a featured genealogist on Who Do You Think You Are? and was a host on the PBS series Genealogy Roadshow. Joshua holds a Master of Library Science degree in Archival Management and a Master of Arts degree in History from Simmons College.