IKIM MIT

The Story

MIT's Initiative for Knowledge and Innovation in Manufacturing (IKIM) brings together researchers, industry partners, and students working on the future of U.S. manufacturing. They needed a modern website that could serve multiple audiences: public-facing content about their programs, gated resources for consortium members, and newsletter distribution to keep stakeholders informed.

A central challenge was controlling access to sensitive consortium resources. I built a gated content plugin with two-tier access control: email-based temporary tokens for public gated access and dedicated member accounts with token-based authentication for consortium materials. Documents are stored in AWS S3 and delivered via time-limited presigned URLs, so nothing can be bookmarked or shared by direct link. The plugin includes security hardening across authentication, file uploads, and session management.

The IKIM team had previously struggled with a patchwork of off-the-shelf plugins that created an inconsistent editing experience. I replaced this with a custom theme and plugins providing 13 purpose-built Gutenberg blocks: layout blocks like Hero, Content Grid, Team, Accordion, and Slider; a news and resources plugin with filterable article grids by category and tag; and a newsletter plugin for managing subscribers and distributing updates. Many blocks tie into the gated content system, letting editors control access without leaving the WordPress editor. Building everything from the ground up gave the team a predictable experience and made it easier to provide focused support.

Features

Custom Gutenberg Blocks

Blocks like Hero, Content Grid, Team, Slider, and Accordion give the IKIM team a visual page builder that stays on-brand by design. Each block exposes only the options they need, keeping the editing experience simple even for non-technical users.

Gated Content and Secure File Delivery

Administrators assign access tiers to any piece of content or individual file from within the WordPress editor. The gated content blocks display available resources to visitors based on their access level, handling the authentication flow transparently.

Subscriber Management

Site visitors subscribe to the IKIM mailing list through the website. Administrators manage subscriber lists and export them as spreadsheets from the WordPress dashboard for use with their existing email workflow.

What the Client Said

"Lauren Prete developed a custom website from the ground up in support of multiple MIT-led research and education initiatives. She delivered a streamlined, user-friendly, and highly effective platform that successfully integrates complex scientific and educational content for both general audiences and technical experts. Lauren is fast, thoughtful, and proactive—anticipating challenges and delivering practical solutions with professionalism and ease. She was a pleasure to work with, and the MIT team wholeheartedly recommends her."

Anthony Salazar

Program Manager, MIT Microphotonics Center & Initiative for Knowledge and Innovation in Manufacturing

Massachusetts Institute of Technology