The United States has been described as a cultural "melting pot" comprised of many ethnic groups, featuring many differences in culture, eating habits, religion, and genetic variability. The study of genetic variation among human populations can be described as an expedition into our past with the goal of discovering what makes each of us unique. This study, conducted by Brian Schmidt and Dr. E.C. Keller as a Biology 209 Special Topics problem, focuses on cataloguing the different ethnicities present in the state of West Virginia. In order to ascertain these different ethnicities, one must follow a multi-step process which begins with 1910 cencus records of each of the 55 counties in West Virginia. These data are summarized and transferred from microfilm records to data entry forms before being entered into the WVU mainframe. Once complete, these data can then be analyzed for correleations with certain genetic factors such as frequency of certain genetic traits, diseases, and other mortalities.

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Last updated: December 10, 1998