About Sites for Scholars
Our Unique OfferSites for Scholars
Combining extensive academic experience with
science communication & web development
Sites for Scholars combines expertise in web development, design and science communication with more than 15 years of experience in academic research and administration. This enables us to understand your research project or academic initiative like no other web professionals. We not only create a website that meets your needs, we help you think through what it is that you need. We also develop products that help you create your own website – should you be so inclined.
Sites for Scholars combines expertise in web development, design and science communication with more than 15 years of experience in academic research and administration. This enables us to understand your research project or academic initiative like no other web professionals. We not only create a website that meets your needs, we help you think through what it is that you need. We also develop products that help you create your own website – should you be so inclined.
What we Use
WordPress + DIVI theme
We create websites using WordPress and the DIVI theme. WordPress is open source software and worldwide the most used content management system. There are a lot of free and premium add-ons or plugins available. DIVI is a WordPress theme that includes a versatile front-end editor that allows you to easily adjust your site – see this video for a brief introduction:
Skills
We draw on skills in a range of areas to help you with your web project, including:
- Content strategy
- Graphic design
- Search Engine Optimization
- Science communication
- UI/UX design
- Writing for the web
Previous Clients
We have created and/or managed websites for (researchers from):
The person behind…
Sites for Scholars was founded in 2018 by Ilse Oosterlaken. After a doctoral degree and two postdocs she realized that she was too much a generalist to further pursue a career in academic research. Through Sites for Scholars and other work she is doing for various universities, she now has the opportunity to speak to lots of passionate researchers about their projects.
Other roles
Ilse loves working on websites. But she also loves variety and learning new things. Hence she works in other capacities as well, such as:
What I bring to the table
Extensive experience in academia
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I have more than 15 years experience in academia, both as a scholar and in administrative positions. I have completed a doctoral dissertation, published articles, edited books, reviewed manuscripts, written a monograph. I have (co-)written successful grant applications, organized large international conferences and other events, and served on the board of an academic association. I have given tutorials and lectures and supervised students writing their master thesis. I have also been responsible for (co-)managing / coordinating the start-up phase of several research centers and schools. This involved tasks in areas such as policy making, organization development and communication, and required her to collaborate with various support services of the universities in question.
In short: I know from first-hand experience how academia works.
Multidisciplinary background
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I have a bachelor degree in technology & society, including courses such as economics and psychology and with architecture & urban planning as my technical major. My master level education was in technology and development studies. I also have a bachelor degree in philosophy. My doctoral dissertation was in the field of philosophy / ethics of technology, and written as part of a project in which I collaborated with industrial designers.
In short: I am a generalist who is able to communicate with a wide range of specialists.
I have been you - the client
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Before I learned how to build websites myself, I had already been responsible for several websites – either managing the process of having the website built by a professional web designer / developer, or managing the content of the site after its launch.
In short: I know what it is like to be in your shoes.