Event Description
Genetic ancestry testing is often framed as a means to understand who we are and where we came from. But what, exactly, do the results of these tests mean? Why are genetic data from ancestry tests of interest to individuals, scientists, and companies? What important questions arise about the uses of these data? Facilitating classroom conversations about genetic ancestry testing can be a powerful way to both connect scientific advances in the real world with lessons about human genetic variation and support students in becoming informed consumers.
In this session, experts in genetics and anthropology will share their perspectives on genetic ancestry testing and address questions that students commonly have. Attendees will gain insight on the process of estimating a person’s ancestry, understand some known limitations of the science, and learn how test results can be interpreted (or misinterpreted) as a source of information about racial and ethnic identities, familial relationships, and population history.
Event Information:
Free and open to the public; registration required. For more information, please visit the event webpage.
Hosted by the Center for ELSI Resources and Analysis at Columbia University.
