Genetic genealogy rocks!
Genetic genealogy — using DNA testing to advance our family history — rocks.
It absolutely rocks.
It’s changing so much about what we know about our families, it’s bringing new people into the field, and… let’s face it… it’s just plain fun.
And if you had any doubt about just how much difference it makes in genealogy, the results of this year’s Genealogy Rockstar voting over at John D. Reid’s blog Anglo-Celtic Connections tell the tale.
Because just about everybody in the top positions in the voting, all over the world, is involved, deeply, in genetic genealogy — The Legal Genealogist included.
The rockstars are the people John describes as “those who give ‘must attend’ presentations at family history conferences or as webinars, who when you see a new family history article or publication by that person, makes it a must buy. If you hang on their every word on a blog, podcast or newsgroup, or follow avidly on Facebook or Twitter they are likely Rockstar candidates.”1
And take a look at the 2017 folks…
Here’s the line-up according to this totally unscientific popular vote2 across three major categories:3
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International, USA, Genetic Genealogy |
Blaine T. Bettinger
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Judy G. Russell
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CeCe Moore
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For all of us in the genetic genealogy community, this is quite the recognition of just how important DNA has become, as a tool, as a methodology, as part of the reasonably exhaustive — and exhausting! — research we all do as genealogists.
But there’s more. So much more. The voting honors and recognizes our colleagues around the world, as well, including our genetic genealogy colleagues Michelle Patient in Australia/New Zealand and Maurice Gleeson in Ireland and Debbie Cruwys Kennett in the UK. All the honorees — and all of the nominees — are folks we can all learn so much from, about genetic genealogy and more.
The winners around the world are:
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Australia/New Zealand |
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Gold Michelle Patient — www.facebook.com/michelle.patient |
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Silver Jill Ball — Geniaus |
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Bronze Helen V. Smith — Dragon Genealogy |
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Canada |
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Gold Gail Dever — Genealogy à la carte |
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Silver Dave Obee — CanGenealogy |
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Bronze Lorine McGinnis Schulze — Olive Tree Genealogy |
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England/Scotland/Wales |
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Gold Janet Few — The History Interpreter |
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Silver Debbie Cruwys Kennett — Cruwys News |
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Bronze Chris Paton — The GENES Blog |
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Ireland |
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Gold Maurice Gleeson |
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Silver John Grenham — Irish Ancestors |
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Bronze Claire Santry — Irish Genealogy News |
If we are indeed known by the company we keep, well, all I can say is … I am honored… and humbled … to be in this company.
SOURCES
- John D. Reid, “Rockstar Genealogist Nominations are Open,” Anglo-Celtic Connections, posted 9 Oct 2017 (http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/ : accessed 24 Oct 2017). ↩
- Yes, I know all about the problems of a poll like this. Really. See Kerry Scott, “The Rockstar Genealogist Contest is a Fiesta of Awkward. Let’s Change This,” Clue Wagon, posted Sep 2016 (http://www.cluewagon.com/ : accessed 24 Oct 2017). ↩
- See John D. Reid, , “2017 Gold (Superstar) Genealogists,” Anglo-Celtic Connections, posted 24 Oct 2017, and “Rockstar Genealogists 2017: Silver and Bronze Awards,” posted 23 Oct 2017). ↩
WELL! Congratulations Judy, on being a “Rock Star!!”
Personally, I always preferred silver anyway. Gold is so gaudy! 🙂
Congratulations to all of you!!!!
So many great names, and all so well deserved! Congrats to all the winners, as well as all who made it on to the nominee list. That alone is a real honour!