Hi GTA2026 Participants,

Welcome to the 2026 Galaxy Training Academy!

The first GTA2026 time zones are getting started soon, and we are so excited to officially welcome you to this year’s event. Whether you registered weeks ago or just joined us, we’re very happy to have you here.

GTA2026 is a free, virtual, asynchronous training event, which means you can participate from wherever you are and work through the materials at your own pace throughout the week.

Getting started

The best place to begin is the GTA2026 event page:

GTA2026 Event Page!

There, you’ll find the training tracks, setup information, tutorial links, and other important event details.

You do not need to complete everything. Choose the tracks and tutorials that best match your interests, experience level, and goals!

Make sure you have a Galaxy account

To complete the hands-on tutorials, you will need a Galaxy account on one of the Galaxy servers being used for GTA2026:

• Galaxy Main: https://usegalaxy.org
• Galaxy Europe: https://usegalaxy.eu
• Galaxy Australia: https://usegalaxy.org.au

If you already have an account on one of these servers, you should be ready to go.

If you are new to Galaxy, please create an account and verify it before beginning the hands-on tutorials. After registering, check your email for the verification message and click the verification link to activate your account.

Join us on Slack

The Galaxy Training Network (GTN) Slack will be our main space for communication, questions, reminders, and support throughout the week. It is essential that you join the Slack channel in order to be able to connect with track leads, trainers, helpers, and your fellow GTA participants!

Please join the GTN Slack here!

In Slack, you can:

• Ask questions while working through tutorials
• Get help from trainers, developers, admins, track leads, and helpers
• Connect with other participants from around the world
• See announcements and reminders
• Find links to Meet the Expert videos
• Get information about certificates and participation

No question is too small. If you get stuck, please ask!

Meet the Expert series

New this year, GTA2026 includes a Meet the Expert series.

Each day, we’ll share a short video featuring members of the Galaxy community, including scientists, developers, trainers, and researchers talking about their work and experiences with Galaxy.

Videos will be released on YouTube at midnight AEST each day, and links will be shared in Slack.

The first Meet the Expert video, featuring Delphine Larivière is live now! Check it out here!

Certificates

Certificates will be available for attendees who complete GTA2026 training tracks.

More information about how to receive a certificate will be shared during the event, so please keep an eye on Slack for instructions. You will need to follow the certificate instructions provided during the week in order to receive one.

A few tips for the week

• Start with the setup information before jumping into tutorials.
• Ask questions in Slack whenever you need help.
• Work at your own pace. There is no need to rush.
• Try a new tool, workflow, or topic while you’re here.
• Connect with the community and have fun!

We hope GTA2026 helps you build new skills, gain confidence using Galaxy, and connect with researchers and learners from around the world.

Thank you for joining us. Let’s have a great week!

The GTA2026 Organising Committee