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Jennifer van Alstyne

@jenvanalstyne.bsky.social

640 followers 1.6K following 600 posts

Online presence for professors | Academic Websites, Social Media, Bio Writing https://TheAcademicDesigner.com/ The Social Academic blog @HigherEdPR https://TheSocialAcademic.com/blog/ Peruvian-American poet ✨️ https://JenniferVanAlstyne.com/social-media/

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Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · Mar 22

Hi, I'm Jennifer 👋🙂

I empower academics to be confident showing up online. Nice to meet you!

A bit about me 🤗
-I live in Oceanside, California
-I have 2 cute cats, Bartlet and Ash
-I got married last summer at the San Diego Zoo
-I'm a poet

Have you introduced yourself here yet? 💡

Jennifer, a latina woman smiles in her home office in San Diego. She's wearing an orange sweater and stands in front of a built in bookcase.

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Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 29m

That got pretty long...I should turn this into a blog post for The Social Academic.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 30m

It doesn't feel like going backwards.

Although...

Sometimes I wonder when I'm like wow...did I watch that guy powerwash a driveway, patio, and pool area video? Why? And also: that was so relaxing 😂

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 30m

I used to lean into considering the negatives when checking in with myself about social media.

Past me used app timers or limits. "Instead of scrolling do this..." Feeling: I have to make the best use of my time when I'm on socials 😱

Current me: happily scrolled IG Reels for an hour on Saturday 😄

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 30m

Truthfully thinking about Bob's channels, and any of my faculty clients' websites or profiles is more fun for me than thinking about my own.

I like my channels. I like who I've connected with online. I meet such cool people! So like if nothings going wrong, it's easy to prioritize fun client work.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 30m

I'm working on an social media strategy for my father-in-law's YouTube channel.

I do social media set-up, strategy, and training for professors, research labs, groups, and centers. I've not gone this in-depth for any individual so far. Most folks don't need this level of support. It's exciting.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 30m

I also interview faculty, researchers, grad students, and folks who support them about online presence on The Social Academic.

There's hundreds of resources for you like articles and interviews on the blog. And now it's a podcast and YouTube channel.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 30m

Hi, I'm Jennifer van Alstyne. Thank you. I wrote down these thoughts as part of an annual check in. Long overdue to be honest.

I work with faculty on their online presence like academic websites, social media, faculty profiles, LinkedIn profiles, and bio writing. Their digital footprint.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 30m

Questions I ask my academic clients when we're working together on their social media
-How do I feel about social media (in general)?
-How do I use social media?
-What don't I like about how I use social media?
-How do I feel after using social media?
-Do I need a social media break?

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 30m

Because I have a Posts Only and Following feeds on Bluesky, I can scroll through what you share. Like scrolling on social media in general is people I want to see.

When I think about the "scrolling is bad" narrative, I'm like ehh. Like it can be. And maybe I scroll too much? But I'm not mad at it.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 30m

Cooking videos? I make dishes I saw 1st on social media. Though just like my Save list on NYT Cooking, my Instagram Reels saved Food 🤩 folder, I tend to cook the same most loved recipes over and over. So lots on the list I'll maybe go back to one day?

Scrolling = finding things I like.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 30m

I love scrolling on social media. My husband laughs when I'm scrolling through Instagram Reels super fast. I don't give anything a chance, he says. When I do? It feels great.

Just thinking about the sound, the musicians I've been introduced to because of scrolling? I get a lot of happiness from it.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 11h

Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons at The Broad museum in Los Angeles 🎈🐕

A new YouTube Short is up from my father-in-law, art critic, Bob Pincus 📸 #Art
youtube.com/shorts/QxulY...

A large aluminum blue dog that looks like a balloon animal on permanent exhibit at The Broad Museum in LA. Balloon Dog is a series by artist, Jeff Koons.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 1d

Should I have a LinkedIn profile as an academic?

What makes a good faculty profile? #AcademicSky #ScienceSky

This article isn’t about which is better for you: faculty profile or LinkedIn profile. It would be great for your online presence if you had both 🤗
theacademicdesigner.com/2025/faculty...

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Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 2d

Hi, I'm Jennifer van Alstyne. It's nice to meet you!

Let's get intentional about how you show up online. Your digital footprint can make a meaningful difference for you, your teaching, and your research. I'm here to help you.

Schedule your Zoom call with Jennifer higheredpr.as.me/meet-with-je...

Jennifer van Alstyne stands in front of the built-in bookcase in her home office in San Diego. She's a latina woman smiling with her hand touching a flower stem leaning towards her from a llama vase on the bookcase.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 2d

I'm here to help you with done-for-you online presence services for academics:
-Website Design (personal academic websites, research group websites, research lab websites)
-Social Media (profile set-up, strategy, and training)
-Bio Writing (faculty bios, website bios, speaker bios, fellowship bios)

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 2d

You can do this process yourself by writing a bit more than you have space for in your bio. Then, choose what needs to stay, and what maybe doesn't stay in your bio, but can find another home on your website or social media if it's important to you.

Don't wanna do it yourself for your academic bio?

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 2d

If you're writing your own bio, write more than you need. My brain loves to edit (cut things out). So I'm often writing a 500 word bio, to result in a 350 word bio. Getting everything down for my clients helps ensure I'm not missing anything. Then we prioritize what's most important to keep in.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 2d

I didn't even have to go back and edit things to bring in variety. Their bio writing interviews brought up their unique perspective. Their interdisciplinary research is collaborative, but what makes them a stronger group is the strengths and expertise they bring as individuals.

I love bio writing.

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Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 2d

I'm doing new bios for the 4 leads of this research group. It's been fun to work with all of them before we get to their new website design.

I worried: Will these bios going to be too alike? Cause they're in similar fields. But each person's story is unique. Their journey, motivations, focuses.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 2d

One of the things that I help faculty with is done-for-you bio writing.

"I've always written my own bio" is true for most of them, but there's always this expression of relief on their face when they're like, "Oooh, a new academic bio is off my plate."

I just sent off revisions for 2 faculty bios.

Reposted by Jennifer van Alstyne

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 3d

What types of academic websites are there? A guide for faculty, researchers, and graduate students, #AcademicSky #ScienceSky

theacademicdesigner.com/2025/types-o...

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Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 3d

"You don’t owe your social media followers," says Jennifer Polk, PhD of @fromphdtolife.com 💡

"You don’t owe them your presence. You can choose to pause your activity and you don’t have to stress about it."

On The Social Academic blog, podcast, and YouTube
theacademicdesigner.com/2025/career-...

Jen Polk's cover photo for her blog, From PhD to Life. There are two sets of legs, the 1st wearing jeans and sneakers, the 2nd wearing blue tights, tan chunky heels, and a pencil skirt. Both photos are actually of Jen Polk and represent moving from academia to a career outside of faculty roles in Higher Education.

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Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 3d

Oooh and another Assistant Professor website too 🤗

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 3d

If you've been thinking about having your personal academic website designed for you, I'm here to help you.

Let's chat on your no pressure Zoom call about teaming up for your website project, #AcademicSky
higheredpr.as.me/meet-with-je...

Jennifer van Alstyne, a latina woman smiles. She has a small yellow flower in her hair.

Jennifer van Alstyne @jenvanalstyne.bsky.social · 3d

Right now? I've got the following academic website projects in process:
-New Assistant Professor (launches next week)
-Lecturer on the job market
-Master's student changing fields
-PhD candidate on the academic job market
-Research group led by 4 Associate Professors
-Professor