The reality is, more than one in five people at TechEX26 are in exactly the same boat as you – a first-timer – which is why Internet2 has built a first-time attendee program and series of blogs designed to make you feel welcome and connected from the moment you register.
Community members engaging at one of TechEX25’s evening socials.
What is TechEX26
Hosted by Internet2, TechEX26 is the research and education (R&E) community’s premier technical event of the year. For five days, an anticipated 650 attendees will seek real solutions to pressing challenges at their campuses or institutions through sessions, hands-on workshops, working meetings, and unconference experiences. Some sessions help refine strategy, while others help introduce new solutions and implementation approaches, but the best sessions tend to be where both strategy and operations meet.
TechEX26 consists of:
- General sessions incorporate deep technical content, cross-topic discovery, and community-driven solutions to solve real-world challenges through collaboration and shared expertise.
- Hallway conversations, a staple of the TechEX experience that occur between sessions, spark new ideas and foster unexpected collaborations.
- Sponsor exhibits are where attendees engage with industry experts and gain real-time insights into their most critical challenges.
- Networking socials – including dine-arounds, game night, after-conference receptions, a 5K run/walk, and a poster social — create space to unwind, connect, and continue conversations.
- Unconferences in the Identity & Access Management and Advanced Networking tracks provide opportunities for you and your peers to shape the day’s agenda and create on-the-spot sessions that address your pain points and institutional priorities.
The First-Time Attendee Program and Resources
The best connections rarely happen by accident, especially when you are new. The first-time attendee program is your way in. It exists to make sure you are prepared and connected at our events.
Check out the components of our first-time attendee program. These opportunities are designed to help first-timers know exactly what to expect, how to make the most of every hour, and how to turn what might feel overwhelming into something genuinely energizing.
- A pre-conference informational huddle: Before the conference even begins, first-timers are invited to a dedicated webinar to receive tips, navigate logistics, ask questions, and set goals for the week.
- A Community Connector: First-timers are paired with a veteran TechEX attendee who can offer a personal perspective on the conference, tips for navigating sessions, and a warm introduction to the community.
- A pre-conference virtual meet-and-greet: Meet your Community Connector one-on-one before you travel so you arrive already knowing someone on day one of TechEX26.
- A Know Before You Go: Check out the First-Time Attendee page for your go-to guide with helpful tips to hit the ground running before you arrive at TechEX26.
- A small group dinner: A curated no-host dinner to have real conversations with fellow first-timers, Internet2 staff, Community Connectors, and other attendees. Sign up to join!
First-time attendees enjoying their time at a TechEX25 dine-around.
Hear from Former First-Time Attendees
“Everything that I attended really helped me feel less ‘lost’ at the conference as a first-time attendee.”
– Mia Langworthy, manager of network and telecom at the University of Wyoming
“As a first-time attendee, I found all these programs extremely engaging, valuable, and all worked well.”
– Francis Malama, network manager at ZAMREN
“The TechEX101 Luncheon, First-Timer Breakfast, and Small Group Dinners were excellent at helping us better understand the structure of the conference and allowing the first-time attendees to connect with fellow members of the community more meaningfully.”
– Luis Marin Vera, assistant director of IT at Florida International University
Come to TechEX26 Ready to Engage
Bring the problems you are ready to solve, and let us handle the rest: the introductions, plugging you into the community, what to bring, who to know, and all the other details.