Engineering Faculty Website User Guide

Welcome to your Engineering faculty website. Built on Texas A&M University’s Aggie UX framework, this guide helps you create consistent, accessible, and flexible content aligned with university standards.

Introduction

Welcome to your new Engineering faculty website! Your site is built on Texas A&M University’s Aggie UX WordPress framework, developed by Marketing & Communications (Marcomm). This framework ensures your website maintains brand consistency while providing flexibility for your content needs.

Aggie UX Design Resources

 

For a complete reference of all available blocks, styling options, and design patterns, visit Marcomm’s official resource site:
🔗 https://aggieux.tamu.edu

This resource showcases:

• All available block types
• Typography and color options
• Layout patterns
• Accessibility guidelines
• Brand-compliant styling examples

Getting Started

Logging In

1. Navigate to your website’s admin URL: https://[your-site-url]/wp-admin
2. Click “Sign In With TAMU NetID”
3. Enter your NetID credentials:
   1. NetID: Your TAMU username
   2. Password: Your NetID password
4. Complete any required Duo two-factor authentication
5. You will be redirected to your WordPress Dashboard

Understanding the Block Editor

WordPress uses a block-based editor (also known as Gutenberg) that allows you to build pages and posts by adding individual content blocks. Think of blocks as building pieces—each one serves a specific purpose.

Accessing the Block Editor

1. From the Dashboard, navigate to Pages or Posts
2. Click Add New or select an existing item to edit
3. The block editor will open automatically

Adding Blocks

There are several ways to add a new block:

Method 1: The Plus (+) Button

1. Click the blue (+) button in the top-left corner of the editor
2. Browse or search for the block you need
3. Click the block to insert it

Method 2: Inline Adding

1. Hover between existing blocks
2. Click the (+) that appears
3. Select your desired block

Method 3: Typing Commands

1. On an empty block, type / followed by the block name
2. Example: /image will show image block options
3. Press Enter to insert

Common Blocks You’ll Use

BLOCK TYPE	PURPOSE
Paragraph	Standard text content
Heading	Section titles (H2, H3, H4)
Image	Single images
Gallery	Multiple images in a grid
List	Bulleted or numbered lists
Quote	Highlighted quotations
Buttons	Call-to-action links
Columns	Multi-column layouts
Group	Container for organizing blocks
Table	Data in rows and columns

Aggie UX Custom Blocks

Your site includes special blocks designed for TAMU websites. Refer to aggieux.tamu.edu for the complete library of custom blocks and their styling options.

Pages, Posts, and News

 

Working with Posts

 

Posts are used for timely, regularly updated content. Your site uses four categories to organize posts

CATEGORY	PURPOSE
Research	Ongoing projects, grants, and research initiatives
Facilities	Equipment, labs, and resources available
Publications	Research papers, articles, and academics works

Creating a New Post

1. From the Dashboard, go to Posts → Add New
2. Enter your title at the top
3. Add your content using blocks
4. Assign a category (see below)
5. Add a Featured Image (recommended)
6. Click Publish when readya

Assigning Categories

1. In the post editor, look for the Settings panel on the right
2. If not visible, click the Settings icon (gear) in the top-right
3. Scroll to find Categories
4. Check the appropriate category box:
   1. ☐ Facilities
   2. ☐ Publications
   3. ☐ Research

Note: A post can belong to multiple categories if appropriate but typically assign only the most relevant one.

Research Post Example

Title: Low-Power Wireless Sensor Networks Enable Remote Infrastructure Monitoring in Rural Texas

Example Content structure: (Blocks)

 

AUX Standalone Block Quote: Lorem ipsum

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H2): The Challenge

 

AUX Captioned Media

• Image and Media Caption

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H2): Research Approach
• Heading (H3): Energy Harvesting
• Heading (H3): Low-Power Electronics

 

Table

• Components

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H3) Mesh Network Communication
• Heading (H2) Field Deployment

 

Table

• Locations

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H3): Key Results
• Heading (H2): Edge Computing Integration
• Heading (H2): Technology Transfer
• Heading (H2): Future Directions
• Heading (H2): Research Team
• Heading (H2): Funding and Collaboration
• Heading (H2): Related Publications
• Heading (H2): Related Content

 

Category: ✓ Research

Facilities Post Example

Title: Sensor Prototyping and Electronics Fabrication Workshop

Example Content structure: (Blocks)

 

AUX Standalone Block Quote

• Quote

 

AUX Custom Content

• Content
• Heading (H2): Faculty Overview

 

AUX Captioned Media

• Image and Media Caption

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H2): Electronics Fabrication
• Heading (H3): PCB Design and Production

 

Table

• Equipment

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H3): Soldering Stations
• Heading (H3): Test and Measurement

 

Table

• Equipment

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H2): Additive Manufacturing
• Heading (H3): 3D Printers

 

Table

• Printers

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H3): Post-Processing Equipment
• Heading (H2): Mechanical Fabrication
• Heading (H3): Machine Tools

 

Table

• Equipment

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H3): Sheet Metal and Fabrication
• Heading (H2): Laser Cutting and Engraving

 

Table

• Equipment

 

AUX Custom Content

• Content
• Heading (H2): Materials Inventory
• Heading (H3): Electronics Components
• Heading (H3): Raw Materials

 

Table

• Material Type

 

AUX Custom Content

• Content
• Heading (H2): Typical Projects

 

Table

• Project Type

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H2): Design Resources

 

Table

• Software

 

AUX Custom Content

• Content
• Heading (H2): Safety Requirements
• Heading (H3): Required Training

 

Table

• Training

 

AUX Custom Content

• Content
• Heading (H3): Personal Protective Equipment
• Heading (H2): Access and Scheduling
• Heading (H3): Operating Hours

 

Table

• Day

 

AUX Custom Content

• Content
• Heading (H3): Equipment Reservations
• Heading (H2): Requesting Access
• Heading (H2): Project Support Services

 

Table

• Service

 

AUX Custom Content

• Content
• Heading (H2): Fees and Charges

 

Table

• Item

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H2): Location
• Heading (H2): Related Resources
  

Category: ✓ Facilities

Publications Post Example

Title: Energy-Autonomous Wireless Sensor Nodes for Long-Term Bridge Monitoring in Remote Environments

Example Content structure: (Blocks)

 

AUX Custom Content

• Content

 

AUX Custom Content

• Content
• Heading (H2): Publication Details

 

Table

• Field, Information

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H2): Abstract
• Heading (H2): Key Contributions
• Heading (H3): Energy Harvesting Performance

 

Table

• Energy Source

 

AUX Custom Content

• Content
• Heading (H3): Power Consumption Optimization

 

Table

• Component

 

AUX Custom Content

• Heading (H3): Field Deployment Results

 

Table

• Site

 

AUX Custom Content

• Content
• Heading (H2): Research Context
• Heading (H2): Funding Acknowledgement
• Heading (H2): Author Information
• Heading (H2): Citation
• Heading (H3): BibTex Entry
• Heading (H3): Supplementary Materials
• Heading (H2): Open Source Hardware

 

Table

• Resource

AUX Custom Content

• Content
• Heading (H2): Media Coverage
• Heading (H2): Related Publications
• Heading (H2): Related Content

 

Category: ✓ Publications

News Item Example 

Title: Army Veteran and Texas A&M Chemistry Ph.D. Student Powers Up Battery Materials Research

To be entered under Desktop -> News

Example Content structure:

 

AUX Captioned Media

• Image, Media Caption

 

Paragraphs

 

Category: ✓ News

Managing the People Page

The People page showcases personnel in your Research Lab. This is typically set up as a Page (not a Post) and uses specific blocks to display team members professionally.

 

People Page Structure

 

Adding a Person Profile

Depending on your site’s configuration, you may use:

Option A: Custom People Block (if available)

1. Add the People or Profile block from the Aggie UX blocks,(Example: AUX Contact Card Collection).
2. Fill in the required fields
3. Upload a professional photo
4. Add contact information and bio

 

AUX Contact Card Collection

• Section Heading: Faculty
• Content, Content Card:
  • Contact Card Image
  • Name
  • Title
  • Organization
  • Phone
  • Email
  • Link to full profile (optional)

AUX Contact Card Collection

• Section Heading: Grad Students
• Content, Content Card:
  • Contact Card Image
  • Name
  • Title
  • Organization
  • Phone
  • Email
  • Link to full profile (optional)

AUX Contact Card Collection

• Section Heading: Post Docs
• Content, Content Card
  • Contact Card Image
  • Name
  • Title
  • Organization
  • Phone
  • Email
  • Link to full profile (optional)

 

Option B: Manual Layout Using Standard Blocks

Use a Columns block to create profiles:

 

Recommended Profile Information

FIELD	EXAMPLE
Name	Dr. Jane Smith
Title	Associate Professor
Photo	Professional headshot (square format, min 300x300px)
Email	jsmith@tamu.edu
Office	ZACH 425B
Phone	(979) 845-XXXX
Research Interests	2-4 keywords or brief phrases
Bio	2-3 sentences about background and research
Links	Personal website, Google Scholar, ORCID, LinkedIn

Working with Contact Forms (Gravity Forms)

Adding a Form to Your Page

1. Edit your page in WordPress
2. Click the + (Add block) button where you want the form
3. Search for and select “Gravity Forms” 
4. Choose your desired form from the dropdown menu
5. Click Update or Publish

Avoiding Duplicate Titles

When your page title and form title are the same (e.g., both say “Contact Us”), or when descriptions are redundant, you’ll see duplicate content. To fix this:

1. Click on the Gravity Forms block in your page editor
2. In the Block Settings panel (right sidebar), locate the form display options
3. Toggle OFF the following as needed:
   1. “Show Title” (uncheck “Form Title“
   2. “Show Description” (uncheck “Form Description”
4. Update the page

Result: Your page will display only the page title and content, removing duplicates.

Best Practices

Content Guidelines

✅ Do:

• Use Heading hierarchy properly (H2 → H3 → H4)
• Add alt text to all images for accessibility
• Keep paragraphs concise and scannable
• Use bulleted lists for easy reading
• Include clear calls-to-action with buttons
• Compress images before uploading

❌ Don’t:

• Skip heading levels (e.g., H2 directly to H4)
• Use images without alt text
• Create walls of unbroken text
• Upload extremely large image files
• Use underline for emphasis (reserved for links)

Image Specifications

IMAGE TYPE	RECOMMENDED SIZE	FORMAT
Featured Image	1200×630 px	JPG, PNG
Profile Photo	400 x 400 px (square)	JPG, PNG
In-content Image	1200 px wide (max)	JPG, PNG
Logos/Graphics	Varies	PNG (for transparency)

Saving Your Work

• Save Draft: Saves without publishing
• Preview: View how the post/page will look
• Publish: Makes content live immediately
• Schedule: Set a future publish date/time

Support & Resources

Official Resources

RESOURCE	URL
Aggie UX Blocks & Styles	aggieux.tamu.edu
TAMU Brand Guide	marcomm.tamu.edu/creative-platform/visual-style/web-branding/
TAMU Accessibility	marcomm.tamu.edu/accessibility/
WordPress Essential Training (LinkedIn)	linkedin.com/learning/wordpress-essential-training-24651128
WordPress Codex	codex.wordpress.org

Getting Help

For technical issues or questions about your site: wp-engr-helpdesk@tamu.edu.

Quick Reference Card

TASK	NAVIGATION
Add new post	Posts → Add New
Edit existing post	Posts → All Posts → Click title
Add new page	Pages → Add New
Upload media	Media → Add New
View your site	Click site name (top-left) → Visit Site