The Academic Designer

Official Rules for the Best Personal Academic Websites Contest

No purchase is necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning.

Entries to the 2025 Best Personal Academic Websites Contest opened April 22, 2025 and closed on August 15, 2025. Winners were contacted at the end of the day on Saturday, October 25, 2025 by email according to these terms, and announced publicly on The Social Academic blog by the end of the day Pacific Time on Thursday, November 6.

1. Eligibility

The Best Personal Academic Websites Contest 2025 is open to all people who identify as an academic (i.e. faculty, professors, scientists, researchers, postdocs, grad students, and independent researchers). Employees and contractors of The Academic Designer LLC, Brittany Trinh Creative, and Owlstown are not eligible. Websites designed by Jennifer van Alstyne and Brittany Trinh as team are not eligible. Winners of previous years of the Best Personal Academic Websites Contest awards are not eligible (see 2022 and 2023 winners).

2. Hosts

This contest is hosted by The Academic Designer LLC, Brittany Trinh Creative, and Owlstown.

3. Agreement to Official Rules

Participation in the Contest constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement and acceptance of these Official Rules and decisions of the Host, which are binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon being compliant with these Official Rules and fulfilling requirements set forth herein.

4. Contest Period

The Contest begins at on April 21, 2025 at 12:01 AM Pacific Time and ends on August 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time (the “Contest Period”). Entries that are submitted before or after the Contest Period will be disqualified. Submissions will be accepted for the duration of the Contest using the following method: Online.

5. How to Enter

Online: This method of entry will be available by visiting our website and following the directions provided to fill out the entry information, and submit.

Enter the Contest [entries now closed].

This year the contest is open to up to (1) entry of up to (2) websites per person as some academics have multiple websites (e.g. personal academic website, consulting website, research lab website). Should both your websites receive top points in the rubric, your highest scoring website entry will win the award. Entries received from any person or email address in excess of stated limitation will be void.

6. Contest Judging

Now that entries have closed on August 15, 2025, all entries will be judged with this rubric (Google Drive share link). Then, winners will be selected in multiple categories. The Hosts has attempted to notify the winners via email by the end of the day Pacific Time on Saturday, October 25, 2025. The email will come from Jennifer@TheAcademicDesigner.com. The notification does not require a response.

All entries will be added to the Owlstown Academic Gallery to inspire future academics as a top example.

7. Winner Notification

Winners have been attempted to be notified by email from Jennifer van Alstyne (Jennifer@TheAcademicDesigner.com) on Saturday, October 25, 2025 by the end of the day Pacific Time.

Winners will be announced publicly on The Social Academic blog on November 6, 2025. Winning websites will also be shared on social media as examples of the best personal academic websites. If you have provided your social media handle(s) during entry, you will be tagged on social media in the announcement.

8. Prizes

Multiple awards will be granted. Each award includes a digital badge for your LinkedIn profile and website. We encourage you to add the Best Personal Academic Websites 2025 award as a line to your CV. Winning websites will be featured as an example of the best in the winner’s announcement and across social media.

9. General Conditions

In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including but not limited to fraud, virus, bug, worm, unauthorized human intervention, or other technical problem, or in the event the Contest is unable to run as planned for any other reason, as determined by the Hosts in their sole discretion, the Hosts may, in their sole discretion, either (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules or (b) terminate the Contest. The Hosts reserve the right in their sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to damage the website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be in violation of criminal and civil law, and, should an attempt be made, the Hosts reserve the right to seek damages (including attorney’s fees) and any other remedies from any such person. Failure by the Hosts to enforce any provision in these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

10. Release and Limitations of Liability

By participating in the Contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Hosts, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, other companies associated with the Contest, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, representatives, and agents (the Released Parties) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt of the prize including, but not limited to (a) any technical errors associated with the Contest including lost, interrupted, or unavailable Internet Service Provider (ISP), network, server, wireless service provider, or other connections, availability, or accessibility, or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cellular tower or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties; (b) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (c) mechanical, electronic, computer, human, printing or typographic errors; (d) any other errors or problems in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, errors that may occur in the administration of the Contest, the announcement of the winner, the cancellation or postponement of the Contest, or (e) injury, death, loss or damages of any kind, to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrants participation in the Contest or acceptance of the prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Release Parties liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the entrant be entitled to receive attorney’s fees. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.

11. Disputes

Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court in San Diego County, California. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrants rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Hosts in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of California, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which would cause the applications of laws of any jurisdiction other than California.

12. Privacy

Information collected from entrants is subject to The Academic Designer LLC’s privacy policy (https://theacademicdesigner.com/privacy-policy/).

This contest is currently closed. Entries closed on August 15, 2025.

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