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DNA Dreamers in Action Workshops
When a DNA Match Doesn’t Make Sense
You’re reviewing your DNA matches when something stops you.
A cluster of matches appears—people you don’t recognize. They all share DNA with you, and with each other. Their trees are sparse or unclear. And then you notice something else: they all share an ethnicity you can’t explain.
What do you do next?
Not All Greek to Me: Decoding an Unexpected Admixture begins with exactly that scenario. From the first session, participants work through a real case involving unexpected DNA results and conflicting family history, moving step by step through the uncertainty.
This is not a lecture. It is a guided investigation.
As the case unfolds, participants encounter challenges common to advanced DNA research: limited or inaccurate trees, endogamy, misattributed relationships, and conflicting evidence. The course moves beyond standard clustering techniques, incorporating tools such as network analysis and chromosome mapping while emphasizing critical thinking at each decision point.
Rather than presenting a clean solution, the workshop focuses on the process—how to evaluate possibilities, choose next steps, and adapt when new information changes the direction of the research.
Participants also have the opportunity to bring their own questions, with selected cases explored during the workshop.
For those working with complex DNA problems—especially when results don’t align with expectations—this course offers a structured way to navigate uncertainty and move toward meaningful conclusions.