Education:

• • M.A. University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, 2022-Expected Spring 2025. 
    Major Field: History-Spanish American War.
  • B.A. Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV, 2002-2006. 
    Major Field: History-Civil War and 19th Century America.

Certifications and Credentials:

• • Accredited Genealogist by the International Commission of Accredited Professional Genealogist (ICAPGEN), Salt Lake City, UT since 1995.
  • Court Qualified Expert Witness in New York (New York, Bronx, Queens, Kings, Richmond, Nassau, Suffolk, West Chester, and Erie Counties) in Surrogate Court.
  • Court Qualified Expert Witness in New Jersey (Sussex County) in Surrogate Court.
  • Court Qualified Expert Witness in Pennsylvania (Elk, Butler, and Delaware Counties) in Court of Common Pleas.
  • Court Qualified Expert Witness in Virginia (Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, and Newport News Counties) in Circuit Court.
  • Genealogist, United States Department of Defense, to locate DNA qualified family members of MIAs and POWs from WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam, 2011-2014.
  • Private Investigator License, Commonwealth of Virginia from 2013-2017 with the Department of Criminal Justice Services ID#99-296113.

Teaching Experience:

• • Guest Lecturer-Utah Valley University-Orem, UT HIST3440-The History of World War I (Summer 2024).
  • Instructor-University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, Non-Credit Course-Intermediate Research and Methodology (Fall 2023).
  • Instructor-University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, Non-Credit Course-Genealogy: The Linear Connection (Spring 2023).
  • Guest Lecturer–Brigham Young University-Provo, UT
    HIST439-Seminar on Professional Family History Research (2014, 2015 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024).
  • Instructor–Brigham Young University-Provo, UT
    HIST493-Family History Research (Summer-2000, 2004, 2008, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019).
  • Teaching Assistant-Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV
    HIST438-Soldiers and American Society (Summer-2004, 2005)
  • Guest Lecturer-Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV
    ENVS371-Documentation of Historic Properties (Fall, 2005)
  • Instructor-Warren County Community College, Washington, NJ
    Non-Credit Genealogy Course (Summer, 2001).

Research Grant Recipient:

• • General George C. Marshall Foundation, Virginia Military Institute-Lexington, VA-2006. Thesis-George C. Marshall’s Tenure with the Civilian Conservation Corps, 1932-1933. 
  • Foundation for Coast Guard History-Seattle, WA-2005. Thesis-Confederate Pirates in Maine: The Capture and Destruction of the Revenue Cutter Caleb Cushing.   

Books and Edited Collections:

• • Michael L. Strauss “Fredericksburg at War” Fredericksburg, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania: The History, Stories, and Photographs of the Village of Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, formally Stumpstown including the communities of Hamlin and Shirksville, edited by Kathy Bicksler Stouffer, et al. Grantville, PA: Wert  Publishing, Inc., 2021.

Peer-Reviewed Articles:

• • Michael L. Strauss “Master Signal Electrician: The United States Army Air Service during World War I” Journal of the Company of Military Historians 75:1 (Spring 2023): 6-7.
  • Michael L. Strauss “Brothers in Arms: Americans in the Canadian Expeditionary Force” National Genealogical Society Magazine 44:1 (January-March 2018): 48-53.

Public History Writing:

• • Michael L. Strauss “Born on the Fourth of July” New York Archives Magazine 22:1 (Summer 2022): 40. 
  • Michael L. Strauss and Sunny Jane Morton “These Honored Dead: Learn About Your Ancestors’ Civil War Service with These 21 Records and Resources” Family Tree Magazine: 22:3 (May-June 2021): 18-27.
  • Michael L. Strauss and Jerry Crow “Vanishing Footprints: Cedar Creek Battlefield Revisited” First Landing 27:1 (February, 2010): 12-13. 
  • Michael L. Strauss. “Genealogy Magazine and Historical Database set to Benefit  members of VBGS” First Landing 25:2 (May, 2008): 7.
  • Michael L. Strauss “Historical Maps: The World at your Fingertips” Ancestry 22:3 (July/August 2004): 31-40.

Digital Publications and Blogs:

• • Genealogy: A Journey of a Lifetime Historic Books for Kids, published June 14, 2023.
  • Dog Tags: Identifying our Deceased Military Veterans, Fold3 Headquarters Blog, Division of Ancestry.com, published May 1, 2023.
  • U.S., List of the Adjutant General’s Office for Carded Records of Military Organizations (The Ainsworth List), 1765-1899, published finding aid, Fold3, Division of Ancestry.com, published March 14, 2023.
  • Identifying Military Personnel: Decoding Serial Numbers, Fold3 Headquarters Blog, Division of Ancestry.com, published February 27, 2023.
  • Reconstructing the Past-Part II The National Personnel Record Center Fire of 1973, Fold3 Headquarters Blog, Division of Ancestry.com, published December 5, 2022.
  • Reconstructing the Past: The National Personnel Record Center Fire of 1973, Fold3 Headquarters Blog, Division of Ancestry.com, published September 28, 2022.
  • Remembering the Civil War 160 years later, Family Tree Magazine, The Genealogy Insider, published May 1, 2021.
  • Researching World War I Soldier Gandolfo Scarnici, Pima County Genealogical Society, published May 25, 2020.
  • The Story of Memorial Day, Genealogy Gems, published May 24, 2018.
  • Celebrating Women in United States Military History, Genealogy Gems, published March 19, 2018.
  • Five Branches in United States Military Records, Genealogy Gems, published February 19, 2018.
  • Military Terminology for Genealogists: Regulars, Volunteers, and Militia, Genealogy Gems, published January 22, 2018. 
  • Official Military Personnel Files for United States Military Ancestors in World War I, World War II, and Beyond, Genealogy Gems, published December 6, 2017.

Book Reviews:

• • Journal of America’s Military Past, Review of Mary Jane Phillips Koenig, et al. Answering the Call: Erie County, Pennsylvania in World War One. Erie, Pennsylvania: Erie County Pennsylvania World War One Centennial Committee, 2021. Volume 47, no. 3 (Fall 2022): 62-64.
  • Journal of America’s Military Past, Review of Gary W. Clark’s Grand Army of the Republic and Union Veteran Research. Wichita, Kansas: PhotoTree.com, 2021. Volume 47, no. 1 (Winter 2022): 106-107.

Media Appearances:

• • Every Family Has A Secret, Season 4, Episode 4 “Grace Karskens and Ming Balintong” aired November 9, 2023. Ancestry sponsored on Australian SBS Network. Listed in film credits.
  • Roots Less Traveled, Season 3, Episode 8 “For Country and Family” Aired December 11, 2021. Ancestry sponsored television show available on NBC. Research and listed in film credits.
  • Roots Less Traveled, Season 3, Episode 6 “The Price of Freedom” Aired November 27, 2021. Ancestry sponsored television show available on NBC. Research and listed in film credits.
  • “Coastal Living” television show on Corpus Christi, Texas KZTV-10 Aired October 1, 2020.
  • Film Historian and Genealogist for Documentary “Finding Vivian Maier” Released September 9, 2013. Nominated for 2015 Oscars for best documentary film. Watch on Amazon Prime Video. 
  • Legacy Family Tree Webinars-My Heritage, Inc.  25 total recorded lectures available in library.

Filmed and Recorded Presentations:

• • Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah Presentation “The Great War: World War I Research” recorded September 5, 2024.
  • Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah Presentation “Influenza: The Twentieth Century’s Deadliest Pandemic” recorded December 15, 2022.
  • RootsTech 2019 Presentation “Descendancy Research: Another Pathway to Genealogy” filmed March 1, 2019-In Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Genealogy Gems Interview with Lisa Louise Cooke “Solving a World War I Mystery” filmed November 12, 2018-In Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Ancestry Academy-Presentation “Researching Your Ancestors in World War I Ancestor” filmed December 7, 2016-In Provo, UT.
  • Ancestry Academy-Presentation “The Reconstruction Era: Refugees, Claims, and Conscription” filmed May 23, 2015-In Provo, UT.

Recorded Podcasts:

• • Podcast-The Research Like A Pro Genealogist with hosts Diana Elder, AG and Nicole Dyer, Episode 94 “United States Federal Pensions” aired April 27, 2020.
  • Podcast-The Research Like A Pro Genealogist with hosts Diana Elder, AG and Nicole Dyer, Episode 82 “Military Service Records” aired February 3, 2020.
  • Podcast-Extreme Genes with host Scott Fisher, Episode 153 “Fraternal Organizations & Secret Societies: Where are the Records” aired August 22, 2016.
  • Podcast-The Genealogy Professional with host Marian Pierre-Louis, Episode 10 “Diversifying Services” aired February 3, 2014.

In the News:

• • Atlanta Constitution (Georgia)-Lecturer to Headline Event- published March 31, 2019.
  • Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio)-Events Mark 100 Years Since U.S. Joined War-published April 1, 2017.
  • Lebanon Daily News (Pennsylvania)-Historian Gives Talk on Fredericksburg-published March 23, 2015.
  • Drakes Branch Charlotte Gazette (Virginia)-Genealogical Society Meets-published May 7, 2014.
  • Joplin Globe (Missouri)-Relatives of Missing World War II Soldier Hope His Remains Finally Found-published December 2, 2013.
  • Norfolk Virginian-Pilot (Virginia)-Learn About United States Life-Saving Service-published November 10, 2013.
  • Charles Town Spirit of Jefferson Farmer’s Advocate (West Virginia)-Shepherd Sends Three to National Conference-published February 23, 2006.
  • Wilkes-Barre Citizen’s Voice (Pennsylvania)-Genealogical Society Plans Meeting on March 26-published March 20, 2002.
  • Lebanon Daily News (Pennsylvania)-Local Group in Civil War Reenactment-published September 17, 1991. Reporter for the newspaper.
  • Reading Eagle (Pennsylvania)-Mystery is Solved: Private City Burial Ground Started by Gerber Family-published May 19, 1991.

Professional and Community Service:

• • Board Member-Utah Genealogical Association-Salt Lake City, UT-Term: 2017-2022.
  • President-Virginia Beach Genealogical Society-Virginia Beach, VA-Term: 2012-2015.
  • Vice President-Virginia Beach Genealogical Society-Virginia Beach, VA-Term: 2009-2012, and Former Member at Large from 2008-2009.