How to write an academic bio for your website, with short and long versions
A practical guide to writing a professor's bio for a personal website, event programmes and the press, with templates for 50-word and 150-word versions.
A good academic bio opens with your name, title and institution, then says in plain language what you work on and why it matters, followed by your two or three strongest credentials (a book, a major finding, an award or notable media). Write it in the third person, keep a 50-word and a 150–200-word version, and update it whenever something important changes.
Key takeaways
- Open with name, title and institution, then what you work on in plain words.
- Choose two or three credentials. A bio is not a CV.
- Write in the third person so organisers and journalists can use it as is.
- Keep two lengths ready: about 50 words and about 150–200 words.
Your bio gets used more than almost anything else you write. Event programmes, conference sites, press articles, podcast show notes and book jackets all reach for it, and if you don’t give them a good one, they write their own from whatever they find.
What a bio is for
A bio answers one question for someone who doesn’t know you: why should I listen to this person? It isn’t a CV and it isn’t a research statement. It’s a short, confident introduction.
The structure that works
Most strong academic bios follow the same order:
- Who you are: name, title, institution.
- What you work on: one sentence, in plain language.
- Why it matters: the question your work answers, or who it helps.
- Your strongest credentials: two or three at most. A book, a major finding, an award, notable media, a significant advisory role.
- One human detail (optional, longer version only): where you’re based, a previous career, something that makes you memorable.
Short bio template (about 50 words)
[Full name] is [title] at [institution], where [he/she/they] studies [topic in plain language]. [His/Her/Their] work on [specific area] has [outcome or reach]. [He/She/They] is the author of [Book title] ([Publisher], [Year]).
This version goes on event programmes, podcast pages, author notes and anywhere space is tight.
Long bio template (about 150–200 words)
[Full name] is [title] at [institution]. [His/Her/Their] research looks at [the big question, in plain language], and in particular [specific focus].
[He/She/They] is the author of [Book title] ([Publisher], [Year]), which [what the book argues or shows, in one line]. [His/Her/Their] work has appeared in [notable journals or outlets], and [he/she/they] has been quoted in [media outlets].
[Name] has advised [organisations, if relevant] and speaks regularly on [talk topics] to [types of audiences].
[Optional: one human detail, such as a previous career, where they’re based or a notable honour.]
This version goes on your website’s About page, speaker introductions and press kits.
For finished bios at every length, from conference programmes to PhD students, see these academic bio examples.
Five common mistakes
- Starting with education. “Dr X received her PhD from…” buries the lead. Start with what you do now.
- Listing everything. Ten awards read as noise. Pick the two a reader will recognise.
- Using field jargon. Your bio is read by organisers, journalists and the public. “Studies how people make decisions under uncertainty” beats “works on bounded rationality in stochastic environments”.
- Letting it go stale. A bio that doesn’t mention your latest book or new role gets copied around the web for years.
- Having different versions everywhere. Pick one, put it on your website, and point everyone to it. Consistency also helps search engines and AI tools recognise you as one person.
Where your bio should live
- On your website’s About or Press page, as text, in both lengths.
- In a downloadable press kit, with headshots.
- Consistent versions on your faculty page, LinkedIn, publisher page and speaker bureau profile.
Update it on a schedule
Review your bio every six months, and whenever you change role, publish a book or receive a major award. Then update it everywhere at once.
I write bios, and every other page of a professor’s website, from their published work. If you’d like to see yours, I’ll design and write two sections of your site for free. Request your samples.
Frequently asked questions
Should an academic bio be in the first or third person?
Third person for anything others will print: event programmes, press releases, book jackets. First person works on your own homepage if you want a warmer tone, but keep a third-person version in your press kit.
How long should a speaker bio be?
Organisers usually want about 50 words for a programme and 100–150 words for an introduction. Offer both, plus a line on how you'd like to be introduced.
Should I list my degrees in my bio?
Only if they add something the reader cares about. Your current title usually says enough. Mention a PhD institution when it's relevant to the audience.