I am available to speak at your event on any of the following genealogy topics, either in-person or virtually. To schedule a presentation, email me at Scott@ScottLee.com.
Artificial Intelligence and Genealogy — This presentation provides an overview of how artificial intelligence is currently being used in genealogy, explores emerging technologies on the horizon, and considers possibilities for the more distant future. It includes a clear, high-level explanation of what AI is and how it works, illustrated with simple diagrams and examples. No knowledge of AI or coding is required–everything is explained in straightforward language that anyone can understand. Drawing on decades of following AI developments and having built AI systems from scratch, the presenter brings a deep, practical understanding of the field. By the end of the session, participants will gain not only a broader view of AI in genealogy but also a deeper grasp of its principles, processes, and practical applications–knowledge they can use to more effectively incorporate AI into their own genealogical research.
Calendar Confusion!? — Why was Thursday, October 4, 1582, followed by Friday, October 15, 1582, but only in some countries? Pope Gregory XIII did not invent the Gregorian Calendar. Who did? George Washington was born on February 11, 1731/32. So, was he born in 1731 or 1732? Why does the date of Easter shift around, sometimes before Passover, sometimes after Passover, but rarely coinciding with it? October derives from the Latin word octo, meaning eight, so why is it the 10th month? Did the Russian “October Revolution” really occur in November? Why does the Hebrew calendar sometimes have 13 months? This presentation will answer these questions and more.
DNA Oddities — Think DNA is straightforward? Think again! From hidden twins that disappear before birth to people who carry two different sets of DNA, the world of genetics is full of surprises. In this engaging presentation, you’ll discover the odd, unexpected, and sometimes downright bizarre realities of DNA inheritance–and why they matter for genealogy. We’ll explore vanishing twin syndrome, chimeras, unusual sex chromosome patterns, the impact of endogamy, and more. No advanced science background is needed–just a sense of curiosity. You’ll leave with a fresh perspective on DNA testing and a toolkit for making sense of results that don’t seem to add up.
Effective Use Of Ancestry.com — I clicked all those little green leaves and built my tree, but I keep finding mistakes. How do I fix them? This presentation will show you how to avoid incorporating other people’s mistakes into your tree and use the Ancestry.com service effectively. It will teach techniques for building a more reliable, evidence-based tree.
Using DNA in Family Research — I took the DNA test. Now what? This presentation will teach you how to use DNA testing to research your family history. It will cover the pros and cons of each test type, the major testing companies, and techniques to use the information they provide in your genealogy research. The focus is on using DNA in your genealogical research, not on technical details.
Bio
Scott Lee is a professional genealogist and retired software engineering consultant who has researched his family history since 1979. He has served as an officer in several genealogical societies and lectures on genealogical topics with a focus on technology. Currently, he serves as president of the Arkansas Genealogical Society and is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Genealogical Speakers Guild. In 1995, he helped design the GEDCOM 5.5 standard for transporting genealogical data, improving its syntax to be more easily read by software and fixing several issues in date specifications. He created the calendar conversion website rosettacalendar.com, which is used by historical researchers to convert among various ancient dating systems. His date manipulation library (sdncal20) is utilized by many software packages, powering date, and calendar operations in hundreds of millions of websites (more than half of all websites). Scott grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, but his work took him to Indiana, Oregon, North Carolina, and New York City. In retirement, he and his wife, Deirdre, have returned to their families in Arkansas. His career spanned the medical field, computer graphics algorithm design, graphical interface systems, and consulting at Fortune 500 companies, where he trained their developers in techniques to produce more reliable software. In retirement, he lectures on genealogy topics and works on the design of deep-learning neural networks and software for genealogy. In his spare time, he enjoys writing science fiction, studying ancient calendars, developing open-source software, keeping up with the latest advances in astrophysics, and, of course, researching his family history.
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