{"id":4917,"date":"2026-06-26T17:28:44","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T21:28:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/igg\/?p=4917"},"modified":"2026-06-26T17:28:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T21:28:44","slug":"the-end-of-an-era","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/igg\/2026\/06\/26\/the-end-of-an-era\/","title":{"rendered":"The End of an Era"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Cairenn Binder<\/b><\/p>\n

This RIGG marks the end of an era.<\/p>\n

On a sunny summer day in 2022, I met Professor David Gurney for the first time at the Runcible Spoon Bakery & Cafe in Nyack, New York. We had been introduced online by a mutual friend and business colleague, Margaret Press, who had been my supervisor at DNA Doe Project and had worked closely with David to form the Investigative Genetic Genealogy Accreditation Board (IGGAB). Margaret noted that we lived close to one another and might enjoy working together on investigative genetic genealogy projects.<\/p>\n

Little did we know, at the time, that our conversations over iced coffee and pastries would develop into dozens of solved cases and answers for waiting families. Our scribblings about potential programs would foreshadow memorable summer conferences and hundreds of alumni from novel educational experiences we developed together. Discussions of our passions \u2013 his, miscarriages of justice and mine, Latin American unidentified remains cases \u2013 would unfold into long-term research projects and collaborations with positive effects that have rippled through the field of IGG.<\/p>\n

\"Two

David and I shortly after we started the 69色情视频 IGG Center in 2022. At this time, there was no IGG lab, no IGG certificate program, and no RIGG Conference!<\/p><\/div>\n

Over the years of our work together, I have noted David\u2019s apparent inability to \u201ccoast\u201d. As a team, we have never sat back to enjoy the fruits of our labor, accepting the status quo. As our programs have grown, we have hired more people, taken on more cases, and raised more funds to ensure that the power of investigative genetic genealogy can reach as many cases as possible.<\/p>\n

To that end, David has never said \u201cno\u201d to a good idea, even when it is difficult to implement. Our Latin American DNA Project, our participation in conferences around the world, our pioneering education programs, and a lot of other very hard work \u2013 have happened thanks to David\u2019s leadership and advocacy for our IGG team.<\/p>\n

\"Two

Our first DNA Drive in Tucson, 2023.<\/p><\/div>\n

Investigative genetic genealogy leadership can be a thankless job. During his tenure as the Director of the 69色情视频 IGG Center, David has been at the helm as we received backlash from critics worldwide. We have repeatedly been on the receiving end of articles and social media posts disparaging our work and questioning our intentions while we strove to provide justice for victims of violent crime and overturn wrongful convictions. Aside from that, our working relationships in The Center are not always peaceful and harmonious \u2013 we have experienced disagreements that threatened our partnership and divested us of our morale. However, David\u2019s ability to push through even the most challenging situations and smooth over disputes is admirable, if not positively transcendent.<\/p>\n

\"Five

With colleagues in West Palm Beach days after a ToS change rocked our world in 2025.<\/p><\/div>\n

Outside of his work in IGG, David\u2019s passion for Law, Justice, and Morality \u2013 which is also the name of the class he has taught every semester at Ramapo \u2013 is apparent. Walking by his office, students are guaranteed to find printed copies of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights perched on the dado rails on either side of his door. As a professor, David has strived to ensure that the young adults in our society are educated about their rights and freedoms as well as ethical and moral dilemmas we are bound to encounter as humans. The shelves of his office include not only works by Thomas Paine and Franz Kafka, but also religious texts and American literature he may use to illustrate ethics and morality in our modern world. For his innovative methods and his dedication to teaching, David was awarded the Henry Bischoff Excellence in Teaching Award in 2023.<\/p>\n

\"A

David after being awarded the Bischoff Award in 2023<\/p><\/div>\n

As a leader, an advocate, and as a friend \u2013 David Gurney will be sorely missed when he steps away from his role from the IGG Center this summer to relocate to the southwest. I have no doubt that his impact on the field of investigative genetic genealogy will continue. As I said, the man cannot \u201ccoast\u201d and we can\u2019t wait to see what he does next.<\/p>\n

Thank you, David, from all of us.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"Six<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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