Sanity CMS + Next JS

Industry: Academic Research & Science Communication Tech Stack: Sanity (Headless CMS) · Next.js · Tailwind CSS · Vercel (or similar deployment) Role: Headless CMS Architect & Front-End Developer Timeline: ~6–8 weeks

The Lin Lab at Cornell University advances cutting-edge research in organic chemistry and electrochemistry, showcasing publications, team members, and research highlights on a modern web presence. The goal was to architect a fast, maintainable, and visually engaging site driven by structured content using Sanity and a highly performant Next.js front end styled with Tailwind CSS.

Flexible Content Management: Enable researchers and administrators to manage diverse content like publications, people, and research areas without developer dependency.

Performance & Scalability: Deliver high-performance pages optimized for academic audiences while accommodating frequent updates.

Responsive UI: Build a clear, accessible experience for desktop and mobile users alike.

Delivered a headless architecture with a streamlined editorial workflow and cutting-edge front end:

Sanity CMS — Custom content models for research pages, publications, member profiles, outreach, and schedule data, giving the academic team real control. — Structured content schemas that support rich interlinking between research topics and personnel.

Next.js Front End — Server-Side Rendering (SSR) and Static Generation (SSG) where appropriate for performance and SEO. — Fast navigation and seamless experiences for browsing research, people, and publications.

Tailwind CSS — Utility-first styling for consistent, responsive layouts across pages without bloated CSS. — Easily extendable design system aligned with the Lab’s visual identity.

Performance & SEO — Optimized images and assets, semantic markup, and fast time-to-interactive to support search visibility and usability.

🚀 High-Performance Delivery: Fast page loads and strong Lighthouse metrics thanks to SSR/SSG and Tailwind utility architecture.

🧠 Editorial Autonomy: Research leaders can update publications, team members, and outreach without developer involvement.

🧭 Clear Navigation: Logical site structure tailored to academic content goals.

📱 Responsive Experience: Accessible and consistent UI from desktop to mobile for students, researchers, and collaborators.

Sanity (Headless CMS) · Next.js · Tailwind CSS · API-Driven Content · Modern Deployment (Vercel/Cloud)

Live site: https://songlin.chem.cornell.edu/