Professors Need Not Be Just a Pretty Face: How Faculty Directories Can Decrease the Opportunity for Bias and Better Support Users by Directly Providing Semantic Information.

The article examines the common design of university faculty directories on websites, highlighting that many primarily display faculty pictures and names without semantic information such as research interests, expertise, or accomplishments. This face-focused approach, documented through an analysis of 275 university unit websites worldwide, can lead to biased faculty selection based on appearance rather than academic qualifications. The study finds that about half of U.S. faculty directories and a majority of international ones lack accessible research interest information, while most include faculty photos. It recommends redesigning faculty listings to prioritize scholarship-focused data—such as research and teaching interests, contact details, and accomplishments—while optionally including photos to balance identification needs and bias reduction. The article also provides example templates and a suggested list of directory information to improve usability and inclusivity, noting that these principles could extend to other professional directories like those for doctors or lawyers.