Lectures & Education
Gather Together!
Book Discovering New Ancestors' founder Arun Konanur to speak at your next genealogy event — whether online or in-person!
Arun is available to speak authoritatively on any of the topics surveyed on our website and many others: his presentations are geared to the size of your event and the background of your attendees.
Among other events, Arun has twice addressed the Genealogical Forum of Oregon's Advanced DNA Group, the Utah Genealogical Association, and the Ontario Genealogical Society's conferences in 2021 and 2024. Upcoming presentations for 2026 include an overview of genealogical bioinformatics for the Utah Genealogical Association on October 6.
Watch this space for Arun's 2027 schedule!
The following presentations are available in-person or via Zoom:
Entry-level Presentations: Methods in Genetic Genealogy
DNA Basics — Covers the fundamentals of DNA science, differences among testing providers, and simple strategies for working with your test results. Said one attendee: “The best DNA presentation I have ever seen. Easy to follow. Very clear.”
Intermediate DNA: Strategies for Working with Your Matches — Covers practical topics like Generation of Connection, Ancestry ProTools, the Shared Centimorgan Project, What Are the Odds (WATO) tool, and strategies for targeted testing.
Case Studies: DNA Stories from the Field — Practical and entertaining examples of DNA skills used to solve family history mysteries in conjunction with official records and anecdotal evidence. Discover research strategies to use with your own family investigations!
My Journey with NPEs: “I'm not who I thought I was, but if I were, I wouldn't be who I am…” — While not every Non-Paternity Event is unexpected, all have the potential to initiate a re-appraisal of one's identity. I'll look for insights within my own pedigree and share strategies to use with your results.
A Little More Advanced…
Genealogical Bioinformatics: Where Genetic Genealogy meets AI — An overview of the emerging field of genealogical bioinformatics, including its relationship to AI and traditional genetic genealogy: how it started, what’s been done, and where it’s going!
A Deep Dive into Shared Matches — Shared matches are among the most powerful tools in the genetic genealogist’s arsenal, but to apply them correctly you’ve got to have the right tools. We’ll discuss what they are, what they can tell us, and how to understand their significance.
More Shared Matches: The Good, the Bad, and the Unexpected! — Not all DNA matches are the same, and this goes double for shared matches, which can turn up when and where you least expect them. Learn how to identify useful shared matches using my Shared Match Differentiator, and gain a new appreciation for the stuff your DNA results are made of.
Shared Matches: A New Approach to Endogamy — We’ll explore how shared match trios can address another long-standing problem in genetic genealogy: working with endogamous populations — and how endogamy can affect everyone’s DNA results.
Arun is also available to coach your attendees at in-person conferences individually, via Zoom, or at our home office in London, Ontario.