Checklist
What to include on a lab website: 12 pages and sections that matter
A checklist of the pages and details every research group website should have, from a one-line mission to alumni, openings and a publication list that search engines can read.
When prospective students and collaborators visit your lab website, they are looking for specific answers. Here is a checklist of what to include, and why.
1. A one-sentence mission
On the home page, say what the lab studies in words a first-year student understands. "We study how plants sense drought" beats a paragraph of keywords.
2. A strong hero image
A real image from your research — a micrograph, a field site, a structure — sets the tone and makes the lab memorable.
3. Research areas
Three to five areas, each with a plain-language summary, a figure and two or three key papers. Link each area to its publications.
4. The PI profile
Photo, title, institution, a short biography, education and positions, awards, and links to Google Scholar, ORCID and a downloadable CV.
5. Current members
Photo, name, role (PhD student, postdoc, research associate), a sentence on their project, and email. Prospective students read these closely.
6. Alumni
Where former members went next is one of the most persuasive things a lab can show. Keep the list.
7. Publications
Newest first, grouped by year, with authors, journal, DOI and links. Ideally each paper has its own page with an abstract and citation formats.
8. News
Accepted papers, awards, talks, new members, outreach. Even four items a year show the lab is active.
9. Openings
Open PhD and postdoc positions, how to apply, and a contact. If you have no openings, say how to enquire anyway.
10. Teaching and resources
Courses, protocols, datasets, code and software. These bring steady search traffic.
11. Gallery
Lab outings, conferences and the lab itself help people picture joining.
12. Contact and location
Email, postal address, building and room, and a map.
Make maintenance easy
The best checklist fails if updating is painful. Labsite gives you all of these pages ready-made, with publications that update themselves and profiles each member can edit. Start your lab site.