The Future Builder award winners. Picture: UA
Researchers who developed coffee ground-infused concrete, a rust disease cure for wheat crops and an intellectual-disability friendly playground took home a Universities Australia Shaping Australia award on Tuesday night.
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Each year, Achieving the Dream lifts up at least one community college in its network for adopting practices and strategies leading to a student-focused culture, notable increases in student outcomes and a reduction of equity gaps.
To be eligible for the Leah Meyer Austin Award, an institution must demonstrate four-year improvement of at least three percentage points in the IPEDS on-time completion for the level of associated credential awarded, or have been selected as one of the top 150 colleges in the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The achievements of this year’s honorees—Chattanooga State Community College in Tennessee and Southwestern Oregon Community College—show how a holistic approach to student success that exists through the institution can result in whole-college transformation.
Setting the bar: In evaluating applicants, ATD considers gateway metrics, including leading indicators (early momentum metrics) and lagging indicators (completion or transfer), with substantial improvement of three percentage points or more over three years.
Equity metrics may highlight data such as the equity gap improvement between part-time and full-time student outcomes or between Pell-eligible and non-Pell-eligible students. Substantial improvement means closing or narrowing equity gaps over three years by at least two percentage points.
The following data demonstrate not just what Chattanooga State Community College and Southwestern Oregon Community College did to earn their honor, but also ways that other institutions can tell their own data stories.
Chattanooga State Community College actions and results: The Vision 2027 strategic plan has inspired a shift from 15-week to seven-week terms, more personalized academic advising, strengthened commitments to basic needs assistance and wraparound support services, and implementation of an affordable course materials program.
Southwestern Oregon Community College actions and results: This rural institution’s recent efforts have included engaging and supporting its community’s adult and part-time learner populations, such as by creating targeted student orientations, evaluating community practices and its portfolio of academic and workforce programs, meeting the special financial needs of first-generation adult learners, and improving online services (40 percent of Southwestern’s overall student body are online learners).
More information on both winners can be found here. In a March 31 webinar, Achieving the Dream will feature both winners.
Is your institution or department tracking new KPIs related to student success, or using data in a new way? Tell us about it.
Update: It’s official! We’ll be back for another contest in early 2025. Jennifer, Brittany, and Ian look forward to your entry next year.
Your personal academic website is a wonderful thing. Professors, researchers, scientists, graduate students, and independent scholars who make their website a reality should be celebrated. That’s why I created the Best Personal Academic Websites Contest last year with my co-hosts Brittany Trinh and Dr. Ian Li.
The 2023 award-winning personal academic websites we’re showcasing today are some of the best examples to learn from. I hope exploring their websites inspires you to create your own. Check out winners from the 2nd annual Best Personal Academic Websites Contest.
The Best Personal Academic Websites Contest is brought to you by Jennifer van Alstyne, Brittany Trinh, and Ian Li.
The Best Personal Academic Websites Contest was open from July 17 through September 30, 2023. Entries were free. The contest recognizes the best personal websites of
Our goal was to award your hard work. And, to create this resource of great examples of personal websites along with with last year’s winners with notes from the judges.
Jump to our free resources to help you make your own website.
Congratulations to our winners, Dr. Sheena Howard, Dr. Seth-Aaron Martinez, Dr. Jarrett Dillenburger, Dr. Guy Cameron, Dr. Alex E. Stern, Dr. Yalidy Matos, Dr. Zoe R. Smith, Dr. Aloysius Soon, Kantwon Rogers, Jared Boyce, Dr. Melanie Sindelar, and Dr. Fuschia-Ann Hoover.
The top 3 websites tied with perfect scores. We are celebrating overall top 3 websites from Dr. Sheena Howard, Dr. Seth-Aaron Martinez, and Dr. Jarrett Dillenburger. Congratulations!
Your websites excelled in every judged category (Website Content, Website Design and Organization, About You, Portfolio, Contact Info). You are the best examples of personal academic websites.
Dr. Sheena Howard created her website “to highlight my work, skills and accomplishments in a way that best aligns with who I am. In addition, to be able to have a closer relationship with the people that are most interested in my work.”
She’d love to acknowledge the website designer, Alesha Randolph.
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: I love how Dr. Howard’s work and personality is very present throughout the website. She highlights her work by posting on her blog to announce any recent news and photos. The homepage of the website is also set up to showcase her publications and features. Finally, the contact page is used well, as it not only functions as a contact page, but also a media kit for potential speaking gigs.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Colorful, personal, and full of stories, Dr. Sheena Howard’s website shows how there’s no limits to being yourself. A great example of how to share your forthcoming book, like her Academic Branding: A Step-by-Step Guide to Increased Visibility, Authority, and Income, online. This website shares Dr. Howard’s story and media appearances along with a well-organized creative portfolio.
Dr. Ian Li: I really liked Dr. Howard’s website because of the breadth of content that she shares. She has a lot of experiences and accomplishments, which shows through on her website. Dr. Howard shares her academic publications and books, her documentaries and media appearances, and her blog posts.
Back to the list of award winners
Dr. Seth-Aaron Martinez created his website “to provide a single source of information for all of my scholarship and professional work.”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: My favorite page on Dr. Martinez’s website is the Consulting page. I like how he establishes credibility in his field by including the logos for organizations that he’s worked with along with testimonials. His website is a great example for other professors who want to incorporate their consulting work with their academic work.
Jennifer van Alstyne: With a clean design, simple structure, and friendly About page, this is a website to remember. I wish the About page and the homepage were combined because Dr. Seth-Aaron Martinez’ bio was memorable. I especially like the descriptive Media mentions page for his YouTube video and podcast appearances.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Martinez shares a breadth of content on his website. He shares his academic publications and dissertation and his media appearances. I really appreciate that he shared his research philosophy and biography, so you learn more about him as a person. He also shares his consulting services and how his expertise can help organizations.
Back to the list of award winners
Dr. Jarrett Dillenburger, “decided to create a personal academic website because it’s challenging to regulate and manage the data and information circulating about us on websites that we cannot modify or keep up-to-date. With my personal website, I gain the power to control what information is accessible to others and how they view it online. The ability to curate my portfolio of research and present the best possible image of myself is crucial for establishing a strong and professional online presence.”
He says, “My current website was designed and built by myself (through many iterations). I fully expect my website to continue to develop and morph as my career does. I have tried my best to create an adaptive design that will allow for future changes easily. My designs and layouts have been influenced by many academic website designers including Jennifer van Alstyne and Brittany Trinh!”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: This is a great example of a personal academic website for a chemist! It was built on Google Sites, which just goes to show that it’s not about the platform you use, but how you use it. I like how he incorporates other aspects of his career as a scientist, including his science communication and interest in space science.
Jennifer van Alstyne: This website is well organized for curious website visitors. It’s a deceptively simple website that doesn’t feel overwhelming. You discover more as you’re curious about exploring each page. Then you find new, more specific resources. On the Chemistry page, I love that there’s the Scientific Abstract typically published with articles and a Non-Scientist Abstract too! It would be great if media mentions got their own space as a page on this website.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Dillenburger’s website is very clear in what his academic website offers: SciComm, Material Science, and Space Science. For each of these topics, Dr. Dillenburger shares a wealth of academic content such as publications, media appearances, and coaching services.
Back to the list of award winners
Owlstown is a website builder specifically designed for academics. It is designed for ease of use and maintenance, so you can focus on sharing your research work. Congratulations to Dr. Guy Cameron for having the best Owlstown website!
Dr. Guy Cameron says, “I created my personal academic website to share my journey through medicine and scientific research, and my experiences as a proud Wailwan (Aboriginal) man living in Newcastle, NSW. Through my website, I aim to inspire others by showcasing my achievements in academia and research, especially in the field of Immunology & Microbiology. I also want to highlight the importance of Indigenous representation in the medical and research fields, and the significant role that collaboration and community-driven approaches play in improving healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. My website reflects my commitment to being a #MentorFirst, where I aspire to guide and support others, particularly those from Indigenous backgrounds, to achieve their academic and career goals.”
Notes from the Judges
Ian did not judge Dr. Cameron’s website for this contest.
Brittany Trinh: I liked how he personalized his Owlstown website with visuals that are relevant to his research. I also like how he delineates his role in each research project and provides a thorough description of each project.
Jennifer van Alstyne: With memorable details like that he’s a proud catdad, Dr. Guy Cameron is as descriptive about himself as his research. I like that his Research projects page includes details beyond a project description including project status, scheme, role on the project, and the team who worked on it. Dr. Cameron’s Publications page shares abstracts and figures. A great example of a detailed portfolio with an Owlstown website.
Back to the list of award winners
How do you showcase all the work you do on a personal website? By creating engaging pages for people to explore. We’re excited to award the Best Portfolio Award to Dr. Alex E. Stern and Dr. Yalidy Matos. Congratulations!
Dr. Alex Stern, “initially created my personal website when I went on the academic job market. During several interviews, faculty members explicitly commented that they had seen my website and were interested in how I had put it together. It gave me a small but positive boost as a candidate for assistant professor roles. My website allows me to take a leading role in how my work is presented to colleagues, students, and the public and has helped me develop a cohesive narrative of my motivations, accomplishments, and future goals as a scholar. My website is entirely my own creation and I am self-taught.”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: Dr. Stern’s teaching page stands out to me because of how she clearly states her teaching objectives for students and course descriptions for the classes that she teaches and a photo that complements it. Her research page also highlights a current book project that is in progress and links it to the project’s separate website.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Yes! You can definitely share a book project in progress. Dr. Alex E. Stern’s website effectively shares her research, public writing, and teaching. I love that Dr. Stern’s portfolio has the same care for Media mentions as Courses on her Teaching page. Advising / Mentoring pages are becoming more popular. I like that Dr. Stern creates space to celebrate her students’ theses, projects, and publications on her website. With engaging visuals, descriptions, and thoughtful design, this is a great portfolio website to inspire academics.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Stern’s website is a great showcase of her work. In her website, Dr. Stern shares her academic research, public writing, course descriptions, and appearances in events and media. It’s not just a list, instead, she provides summaries, so you can be informed whether you want to dig deeper into learning more about each work.
Back to the list of award winners
Dr. Yalidy Matos’ academic website “needed a revamp. As an academic, my website serves as a central location to find information about my writing.”
She says, “I’d like to acknowledge Jennifer van Alstyne, who helped me develop the concepts and ideas, pulled out information from our interviews that are really important to who I am as an academic, and helped design the foundation of the website.”
Notes from the Judges
Jennifer did not judge Dr. Matos’s website for this contest.
Brittany Trinh: Dr. Matos’ website is a stellar example for a professor-level website that is designed specifically to land new opportunities. I like how the research page gives a broad overview, then the “About This Research” gives a deeper description of the research, highlights the relevant works/publications, and provides an offer to speak for those relevant topics after establishing her authority.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Matos’s website offers a comprehensive view of her work. She shares her publications, writings, courses, and speaking engagements. She presents each work with a detailed description and links to more information, so you can explore her work in more detail.
Back to the list of award winners
We’re excited to present the Best Google Site award to Dr. Zoe R. Smith. Congratulations on making your Google Site stand out!
Dr. Zoe R. Smith says, “I wanted our work to be more accessible to our community and students, as a way to disseminate information and also promote the amazing work the ACCTION team does! I also realized that I had skills that were marketable and wanted a place to showcase them, like statistics consulting and workshops. I also wanted to make sure students could get to know what it’s like to work with me and to highlight students’ work so people can see the new exciting things everyone is working on!” She created the website herself.
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: The ACCTION Lab is a fun and colorful Google Site! I like their “prospective students” page, which outlines very clearly what the PI is looking for in an application.
Jennifer van Alstyne: The colors and branding of the ACCTION Lab flow through each page of this website. Great for visitors who like to skim when reading, this is a great example of using headings and drop downs to organize the written content on your website. I like the Frequently Asked Questions for prospective PhD students interested in joining the lab. I love that the People who are members of the lab are celebrated on their own page with bios that include their photo, pronouns, education, research interests, goals and what I do for fun. “Dr. Z,” as she goes by in her bio, shares what she likes to do for fun in her bio too! I get the personality of this lab and their research.
Dr. Ian Li: The ACCTION Lab website is a great example of a lab website. It’s well-organized with lots of content about the work of the lab. It has a dedicated page of lab members and some of their group activities. The website also shares resources for prospective students and mental health information.
Back to the list of award winners
Creating a website for your research lab or group helps everyone. We’re excited to share the Materials Theory Group website as an example for you. Congratulations, Dr. Aloysius Soon!
Dr. Aloysius Soon made the Materials Theory Group website “for publicity and to keep a record of the overall performance of my research group.”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: As a current graduate student and chemist, I think that this is an awesome example of a lab website made with Google Sites. The homepage highlights their notable papers, making it easy for people to find the right papers to start with. They incorporated their figures into the website to make it more engaging and interesting to look at. I also love how they have videos to promote their group, along with having text in both Korean and English. Finally, my favorite page is the Gallery, which shows annual group photos, which shows the overall group’s personality. It seems like a cool place to do science!
Jennifer van Alstyne: This lab website shares their specific goal, and a description of the group’s focus. It also welcomes students interested in joining the Materials Theory Group right on the homepage. Dr. Aloysius Soon has a page about himself on the website which feels well balanced with the Team pages. I especially like that this research group website considers current researchers and staff as well as alumni and collaborators. A well-organized way of sharing grants and research funding on this website. Despite having many pages with descriptive, detailed information, this website doesn’t feel overwhelming.
Dr. Ian Li: The Materials Theory Group exemplifies the qualities of a great lab website. It has lots of information about the activities of the lab, including research publications, patents, and conferences. The website also has a gallery of lab members and a gallery of group pictures, so you can learn more about the people that do the research.
Back to the list of award winners
Telling your story is powerful and memorable. We’re excited to award the Best Storytelling Award to Kantwon Rogers! Congratulations.
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: I love this website because of the voice/personality that shines through on the page, through the colors, word choice, and images! It’s also unique in that it is a 1 page website, but has more than everything you need to know, by telling the story in order.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Large font and bright, colorful personality. This PhD student website is one of the best examples I’ve seen of sharing who you are through the aesthetic look and feel of your personal website. 1-page websites can be overwhelming to scroll. Kantwon’s website is exciting to explore. It works as a portfolio, linking to things like his CV, publications with downloadable PDFs, and a sample syllabus. I love that it shares videos Kantwon created for his courses at Georgia Tech too. A beautiful website.
Dr. Ian Li: Kantwon’s website is lively and engaging. Browsing through his website, you get a great sense of his personality and his research. He also presents his academic content in an organized manner and in a variety of media (papers, video, podcasts). He also shares a lot of videos teaching concepts about computing and engineering.
Back to the list of award winners
This award goes to a memorable bio on a personal academic website. We’re happy to award Jared Boyce for his academic bio.
Jared Boyce “decided to make a personal academic website in order to share more about myself and build my brand as a scientist. I’m an MD-PhD student at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. I’m interested in becoming a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and studying the neurobiology of early life trauma. My personal website serves as a place where potential collaborators, recruiters, etc. can see my CV, learn about my advocacy, research, and clinical interests, and learn more about who I am beyond my CV.” He says, “I used Brittany Trinh’s website for guidance.”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany did not judge Jared’s website for this contest, but has shared a note about it for you.
Dr. Ian Li: Jared writes about his experiences and describes what motivated him to pursue medicine and his research. His story engages viewers and invites them to care about the research. His page on his advocacy is great too because it shows the breadth of his interests.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Jared Boyce’s website feels retro in a good way. His About page shares his personality, family, and journey. This website doesn’t just tell you what Jared does, he shows you why he cares about it too. A great example of how to share your Advocacy and the values important to you. I love the personal photos on this website.
Brittany Trinh: Jared and I have become friends while studying at UW-Madison, so I didn’t judge his website. What I love about his website is how he wrote his bio and integrated his story and motivation for pursuing medicine and research throughout his website.
Back to the list of award winners
Some academics are also amazing entrepreneurs. We’re excited to give the Best Academic Entrepreneur Award to Dr. Melanie Sindelar. Congratulations!
Dr. Melanie Sindelar created her website “to showcase my academic and freelance work, to make my coaching, editing, and translation business more visible, and to attract new clients! I used Canva’s Brand Kit tool to design the logo and the Color Palette, Brand Colours, and Fonts. I wanted my brand to appeal to academics, artists, and institutions (my main clients) while using a muted and reduced color palette that remains timeless.”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: Dr. Sindelar’s coaching webpage is very in-depth about the services she offers and provides clear directions on how to work with her. The packages, pricing, and process are transparent, so you know exactly what she can help you with.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Calm. That’s how I felt exploring Dr. Melanie Sindelar’s website from the color palette to the easy navigation. Unapologetic about being a researcher, editor, coach, and teacher, this shows your website can adapt to share all of your identities (if you want it to). Many academic entrepreneur websites I see remove research and/or teaching altogether. This one feels approachable for a variety of audiences. I especially like that Dr. Sindelar’s Research page is descriptive about her interests and shares related publications.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Sindelar is a good example of how an academic website can share academic work and teaching as well as other entrepreneurial services. In addition to a Research page, Dr. Sindelar’s website has pages for coaching and translation. Each page has detailed description of how Dr. Sindelar’s expertise can help you.
Back to the list of award winners
A new award to honor the best looking website of the pack. Congratulations to Dr. Fuschia-Ann Hoover! This beautiful personal academic website is one to admire.
Dr. Fuschia-Ann Hoover says, “I wanted to have a public facing representation of my work, and a research profile that was independent of my affiliation, employer, and business. This allows me to control my own narrative, and in a way that stays with me regardless of where my career takes me.” She’d like to thank the photographers credited on her website.
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: Dr. Hoover’s website is minimal with an artsy aesthetic to it. Her portraits show that your headshots or photos for your website don’t always have to look the same as everyone else’s.
Jennifer van Alstyne: While there’s an About page with a more traditional bio, Dr. Hoover’s homepage is an excellent example of how to share who you are in different ways. I get a feel for who she is and what she cares about in an easy-to-read way because of how big the font is on Dr. Fushcia-Ann Hoover’s homepage (which I love). The photos on her website compliment the clean, modern design. Green comes in through the photos on Dr. Hoover’s website through trees, landscapes, and even her blazer. It’s a beautiful way to visually relate to her environmental research, using green in the photos rather than in the design of the website itself.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Hoover’s website is aesthetically pleasing with its clean and modern design. Its navigation is easy to use and each page has engaging images along with the text. I felt calm and engaged while browsing through her website.
Back to the list of award winners
Congratulations to our award winners in the 2023 Best Personal Academic Websites Contest!
Overall Best Personal Academic Website
Dr. Sheena Howard
Dr. Seth-Aaron Martinez
Dr. Jarrett Dillenburger
Best Owlstown Website
Dr. Guy Cameron
Best Portfolio Website
Dr. Alex E. Stern
Dr. Yalidy Matos
Best Google Site
Dr. Zoe R. Smith / ACCTION Lab
Best Research Lab or Group Website
Dr. Aloysius Soon / Materials Theory Grou
Best Storytelling
Kantwon Rogers
Best Bio
Jared Boyce
Best Academic Entrepreneur
Dr. Melanie Sindelar
Most Aesthetic Website
Dr. Fuschia-Ann Hoover
A big thank you to all our contest entrants. We’re so lucky to have you inspiring the world.
Your website will be added to The Academic Gallery on Owlstown. Thank you for being an amazing example. A website is a big project. You should be proud of sharing who you are and what you do with the world.
We created this contest to help as many people as possible. I hope these personal website examples encourage you to make your own website! Some of our award winners did-it-themselves, others hired help. They all made their personal website work for them. You can too.
Please bookmark this page. Share it with your friends. Make your website a reality. And don’t feel like it needs to be “finished” to hit publish.
Brittany Trinh is a website strategist and designer for STEM leaders. She helps grad students, scientists, and academics create impact-driven websites so they can level up in their careers & get paid for their expertise. She’s currently a chemistry PhD student at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Ian Li is the creator of Owlstown, the website builder for academics. Owlstown websites are easy to make and maintain, so you can focus on your research. With templates for various research artifacts, Owlstown allows you to present your research in various ways to inspire and inform others.
Jennifer van Alstyne helps professors feel confident when showing up online. The Academic Designer LLC is a minority woman-owned business helping academics share their research, teaching, and leadership on websites and social media since 2018. The Social Academic blog, podcast, and YouTube channel helps professors manage their online presence to build a strong digital footprint.
View the 2022 contest winners.
Our goal is to help as many people as possible. Here are free resources from Ian Li of Owlstown, Brittany Trinh Creative, and The Academic Designer LLC to help you make your website. Please share with your friends.
The 2nd annual Best Personal Academic Websites Contest was hosted by Jennifer van Alstyne, Brittany Trinh, and Dr. Ian Li.
We’ll be back for a 3rd contest in 2025. Thank you!
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Contest Guides and Advice Articles Online Presence How To’s Personal Website How To’s
We’re excited to recognize the hard work these people have put into their personal academic websites. They are examples to learn from. Explore the winners of the 2022 Best Personal Academic Websites Contest, and discover what prompted each of them to take the leap.
Update: It’s official. We’ll be back for another contest in early 2025! Jennifer, Brittany, and Ian look forward to your entry next year. View the 2023 award winning websites.
The Best Personal Academic Websites Contest is brought to you by Jennifer van Alstyne, Brittany Trinh, and Ian Li.
The Best Personal Academic Websites Contest was open from October 10 through November 2, 2022. Entries were free. The contest recognizes the best personal websites of
Our goal was to award your hard work. And create a resource that can be shared to inspire academics like you to make their own website. These are great examples of personal websites, with notes from the judges.
Jump to our free resources to help you make your own website.
2022 Award Categories
The top 3 websites tied in score. We are celebrating overall top 3 websites from Meredith Schmehl, Dr. Emmanuel Balogun, and Dr. Raymond C. Rumpf. Congratulations!
Your websites excelled in every judged category (Website Content, Website Design and Organization, About You, Portfolio, Contact Info). You are the best examples of personal academic websites.
Meredith Schmehl is the sole creator of her website. She says, “I made a website to showcase my work both in the lab and in my community. My website allows me to connect all of my professional interests in a single platform to share my accomplishments and values with a wide audience.”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: Schmehl’s website is effective with the homepage along, as well as the entire website as a whole website. Not only does her portfolio list their work, she also provides a clear description of what it is, and other awards/recognition related to that work.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Friendly, personable, and communicative. Meredith took time to share the details of her talks and writing in an accessible way. I love that you get a short abstract with the article. You can also learn about The Gastronauts Podcast and Meredith’s work with the National Science Policy Network on her website.
Dr. Ian Li: Meredith’s website is a great example of a comprehensive academic website. She presents the breadth of her work from her research, science writing, and advocacy. In each project, she provides a clear summary and points to resources to get more details about them.
Dr. Emmanuel Balogun wants to acknowledge the help of Jennifer van Alstyne of The Academic Designer LLC who developed the strategic website plan. And, Ryann Russ of Iggy + Stella Creative Studio who designed the website.
Dr. Balogun says, “I made a website to communicate my research and expertise to an audience beyond academia and to make it easier for my colleagues, students, and professional contacts to reach me. I also wanted to increase my online presence in a more approachable way.”
Notes from the Judges
Jennifer did not judge Dr. Balogun’s website for this contest.
Brittany Trinh: My favorite part about Dr. Balogun’s website is the Teaching page, which includes descriptions of courses taught, along with sample syllabi and assignments. There are also pages to important links for students, such as letter of recommendation (LOR) worksheet, internship list, and scheduling office hours. The LOR worksheet breaks down what the student should provide for the professor, making it easier for the students to advocate for themselves and easier for Dr. Balogun to organize and write the LORs.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Balogun’s website is a great example of how an academic website can help share a wide array of information from one’s academic work and beyond. Dr. Balogun shares various artifacts from his research publications, classes, media appearances, and presentations. He also shares resources that students can use for internships and research opportunities.
Dr. Raymond C. Rumpf wants to acknowledge that “the primary person responsible for the conceptualization, creation, organization, graphic design, photography, and administration of my website is Kristin S. Rumpf of KSR Digital Designs. She came up with the web design, the logo, and did the custom coding to create the website I wanted. She has constructed websites for my two other businesses as well.”
Dr. Rumpf says, “I decided to create a website to consolidate all the information about my work and research into one place that I had complete control over. I wanted to be able to highlight my research, provide links to my learning resources, and promote my books, online courses, and journal articles that were outside what would be allowed by my university.”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: Dr. Rumpf’s website is both informative and visually compelling. It does a great job of fulfilling 3 goals – making academic resources freely accessible, providing information about his research lab, and promoting his online courses, EMPossible. I also love the logo design, which cleverly incorporates the letters EM, as in “electromagnetic,” into his personal brand as well.
Jennifer van Alstyne: This felt like a well-thought out comprehensive archive. With great visuals and detailed research descriptions, Dr. Rumpf makes it easy to explore his website. A great use of a blog as a News section.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Rumpf’s website is a treasure trove of information. It has information about his research, lab, and courses. The website is well-designed to easily navigate the huge amount of information on the site.
Owlstown is a website builder for academics created by Dr. Ian Li. Make and maintain your academic website in minutes. We are excited to award the Owlstown websites with the highest scores, Dr. Taotao Wu and Rashid Ahmed Rifat. Congratulations!
Dr. Taotao Wu wants to appreciate “Ian from Owlstown for creating such a convenient platform for the community.”
Dr. Wu says, “I have always been thinking about building my academic website to communicate science, not just because I am on the job market but also because information should be free. As a trainee for years, I received a lot of help from online open source. I am trying to do small part here.”
Notes from the Judges
Ian did not judge Dr. Wu’s website for this contest.
Brittany Trinh: I like how Dr. Wu leverages his About section to clearly state his intention (finding a tenure-track position). In addition, he provides his research vision, which may appeal to potential employers and future colleagues.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Dr. Wu takes the extra step of adding abstracts to each of his publications. He makes his research on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) approachable with the headline: “Understanding the networked brain through its injury” on his Research page. I like how Dr. Wu creates pages for his presentations which you can contact him about.
Notes from the Judges
Ian did not judge Rashid’s website for this contest.
Brittany Trinh: Rifat’s project pages are well utilized. Not only does he provides an abstract of the project, but also includes relevant documents, figures, and slides to show his technical communication abilities.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Rashid’s bio is approachable. It shares his hopes for his research, and how he wants to make change in the future. With abstracts for his publications, Rashid’s website is an approachable resource. A great example of how you can create a portfolio of research projects on your website.
We’re excited to present the Best Google Site award to Nikita Ghodke. Congratulations!
Nikita Ghodke made her website “on my own from scratch.” She says, “Making an academic website is important, especially as an International disabled student. My biggest motivation for creating one was for reaching out with resources to the underrepresented populations. I always wanted to create more representations in academia that can tailor a story of me as a person which isn’t just limited to my professional interests but also includes other parts of my life that play an important role in my career.”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: Ghodke’s website shows that it’s not about the tools or platform you use, but the thought that you put in it. Her website is on Google Sites, which is a free platform.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Nikita tells the story of her research with engaging visuals and photos. I especially like her Science Communication & Outreach page. Nikita shares her photography on her website; I encourage more academics to share their personal interests on their website.
Dr. Ian Li: Nikita shares a lot of information about her journey through academia through blog posts, slide presentations, podcast interviews. She also shares resources to help others with their academic careers.
Telling your story is powerful and memorable. We’re excited to award the Best Storytelling Award to Dr. Kerri Rodriguez! Congratulations.
Dr. Kerri Rodriguez made her own website on WordPress. She says, “I originally created an academic website because I thought I had to, but my website quickly transformed into a valuable resource for me to share my research in a fun and engaging way. It also has tremendously helped with networking and being on the job market!”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: I particularly liked Dr. Rodriguez’s research page, which provides clear and brief descriptions of the focus of her research, related links to work she wanted to highlight, as well as many cute photos of dogs, which is relevant to her research, throughout her website. In addition, the media page makes it easy to find the articles where she has been featured.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Dr. Rodriguez is so friendly in the GIF on her website. A cute dog? People will find this very approachable. The homepage is detailed without being overwhelming, and helps visitors navigate the site. I love how the Research page also invites people to reach out for collaborations and read her articles.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Rodriguez’s website weaves a cohesive story about her passion for human-animal interaction, which spans across her research, teaching, and advocacy. Her website is a great example of how an academic website can go above-and-beyond a list of publications.
How do you showcase all the work you do on a personal website? By creating engaging pages for people to explore. We’re excited to award the Best Portfolio Award to Dr. Walter Greason. Congratulations!
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: Dr. Greason’s website shares his portfolio by featuring them all on a Project page. He provides a great example of how to leverage your project portfolio because he highlights specific projects by giving them individual pages. In each project, he provides historical significance to give further context of the impact of their work.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Dr. Greason had a challenge fitting his many areas of research onto one website. Well done! A bio that helps people explore further. A page focused on program services. The portfolio pages on this website are visually engaging and not overwhelming. This website is an example for all in how to invite people to get involved.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Greason’s project page is a great example of providing summaries of projects to introduce them to a wider audience. He describes each project and explains why they are important and their impact.
Having a blog on your website is a big project. We’re excited to award Dr. Colleen Fisher the Best Blog Award for The Global Minded Professor.
Dr. Colleen Fisher wants to acknowledge “the wonderful website designer who helped me bring my vision for this site to life! Her name is KC Pushpa.”
Dr. Fisher says, “I had been thinking about the benefits of an academic website for some time, thanks in part to compelling blogs like The Academic Designer! I finally took the leap to create my site in 2021 when I was preparing for my Fulbright to India and realized I wanted a space to blog about that experience.”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany Trinh: Global Minded Professor’s website includes 3 blogs – one that is current and two that are upcoming. It provides a clear description of what to expect in the blog. In their India blog posts, they include their own perspective and amazing photos. The blog posts are organized well with section headings and written clearly and concisely. Their blog post have been updated recently and they engage with their readers in the comments sections.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Dr. Fisher’s website shares her love of global research and teaching. Rich with images from her travels, The Global Minded Professor website includes a photo blog from her Fulbright in India. Her Research page answers questions like “What’s the problem?” and “What did we want to find out?” which invite deeper exploration in Dr. Fisher’s research.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Fisher has an extensive blog on her academic work in India. In her blog posts, she writes about her research and the different places that she visited. She also has 2 upcoming blogs for her trips to Ecuador and Kenya.
Some of the amazing people who leave academia become entrepreneurs. We’re excited to give the Best Academic Entrepreneur Award to Dr. Jessye L.B. Talley. Congratulations!
Dr. Jessye L.B. Talley wants to acknoweldge website designer Brittany Trinh Creative and photographer Stacey Gardin.
Dr. Talley says, “I created my website to have a way for me to have my own space to connect with the academic community and not be tied to social media. It was also a way for me to share about my experiences and resources to help other academics on their journey.”
Notes from the Judges
Brittany did not judge Dr. Talley’s website for this contest.
Dr. Ian Li: Dr. Talley’s website is well-designed with a modern layout and great use of visuals. In addition to descriptions of her research, she describes her coaching and workshop services, so you understand how they can help with your goals. She also shares several resources on her blog.
Jennifer van Alstyne: Bright! Memorable. Dr. Talley’s website is inviting for early career faculty who benefit from her services. With professional photography, streamlined copy, and an easy-to-navigate menu, this website is a great example.
Congratulations to our award winners.
A big thank you to all our contest entrants. We’re so lucky to have you inspiring the world. Your website has been added to The Academic Gallery on Owlstown. Thank you for being an amazing example. A website is a big project. You should be proud of sharing who you are and what you do with the world.
We created this contest to help as many people as possible. I hope these personal website examples encourage you to make your own website! Some of our award winners did-it-themselves, others hired help. They all made their personal website work for them. You can too. Please bookmark this page. Share it with your friends. Make your website a reality. And don’t feel like it needs to be “finished” to hit publish. Keep scrolling for free resources to create your website.
Brittany, Ian, and Jennifer would like to thank our non-profit partner for the Best Personal Academic Websites Contest 2022.
STEM Advocacy Institute (SAi) is a Boston based incubator that is making it easier for social entrepreneurs to launch new programs and tools that connect people to science via public science engagement, science communication, and informal science learning.
Finally, we’d like to thank our friends for helping share this event. Including but not limited to
Did you help us share the contest during the entry period? Please email [email protected]. We’d love thank you here!
Our goal is to help as many people as possible. Here are free resources from Ian Li of Owlstown, Brittany Trinh Creative, and The Academic Designer LLC to help you make your website. Please share with your friends.
Not sure where to get started with your online presence? Start here, with my free training for academics.
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