This template is used on many pages and changes may be widely noticed. Test changes in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.
This infobox may be added to an article by copy-pasting the code below at the start of the article, completing it (and/or replacing any of the commented information) and then grouping those parameters left unused together.
{{Infobox scientist| honorific_prefix =| name =| honorific_suffix =| native_name =| native_name_lang =| image =<!--(filename only, i.e. without "File:" prefix)-->| image_size =| image_upright =| landscape =<!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank -->| alt =| caption =| birth_name =<!-- if different from "name" -->| birth_date =<!--{{birth date |YYYY|MM|DD}}-->| birth_place =| death_date =<!--{{death date and age |YYYY|MM|DD |YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date)-->| death_place =| death_cause =<!-- should only be included when the cause of death has significance for the subject's notability -->| resting_place =| resting_place_coordinates =<!--{{coord|LAT|LONG|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}-->| other_names =| siglum =| pronounce =| citizenship =<!-- use only when necessary per [[WP:INFONAT]] -->| nationality =<!-- use only when necessary per [[WP:INFONAT]] -->| fields =| workplaces =| patrons =| education =| alma_mater =| thesis_title =<!--(or | thesis1_title = and | thesis2_title = )-->| thesis_url =<!--(or | thesis1_url = and | thesis2_url = )-->| thesis_year =<!--(or | thesis1_year = and | thesis2_year = )-->| doctoral_advisor =<!--(or | doctoral_advisors = )-->| academic_advisors =| doctoral_students =| notable_students =| known_for =| influences =| influenced =| awards =| author_abbrev_bot =| author_abbrev_zoo =| spouse =<!--(or | spouses = )-->| partner =<!--(or | partners = )-->| children =| parents =| father =| mother =| relatives =| signature =<!--(filename only)-->| signature_type =<!--(defaults to "Signature")-->| signature_alt =| website =<!--{{URL|www.example.com}}-->| footnotes =}}
Parameters
These are the most commonly-used (optional) parameters. The infobox implements all parameters from {{Infobox person}}, see here for a complete list.
If no name is provided, the infobox defaults to the article's name.
Parameter
Explanation
name
Insert name of scientist, mathematician or engineer. (Defaults to article title if left blank.) Note: Do not include honorifics, icons, or other images.
native_name
The person's name in their own language, if different
native_name_lang
IETF language tag e.g. "fr" for French – If more than one, use {{lang}} in native_name= instead.
image
Filename of appropriate image (without "File:" prefix)
image_size imagesize
Image's width (uses users' default image size if not set)
image_upright
Scales the image thumbnail from its default size by the given factor. Values less than 1 scale the image down (0.9 = 90%) and values greater than 1 scale the image up (1.15 = 115%).
landscape
Set to yes when using wide, short images. The image height (rather than width) will be limited to 200 pixels.
alt
Image alt text, for visually impaired readers – See WP:ALT.
caption
Image caption – If known, include date the image made and/or creator.
birth_name
Birth name – Use only if different from name in header.
Date of death: {{Death date and age}} (if birth date is known) or {{death date}} (if birth date unknown). See Template:Death date/doc for details on usage. If exact dates are unknown, consider using {{death year and age}}.
death_place
Place of death (e.g. town/city, region, country)
resting_place
Place of burial, ash-scattering, etc.
resting_place_coordinates
Coordinates for place of burial, ash-scattering etc. – Use {{coord}} template.
other_names
Former names or nicknames – Separate multiple values by using {{Plainlist}}.
siglum
Siglum or monogram, a text shortcut (often formed from the initials of the name, with variations) used to sign work, if relevant.
Principal fields of work (physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, engineering, &c) not occupation (physicist...engineer)
workplaces
Key work places, universities, companies, etc.
patrons
People who subsidized the scientist's education and/or research
education
Education, e.g. degree, institution and graduation year, if relevant. If very little information is available or relevant, the |alma_mater= parameter may be more appropriate.
alma_mater
University or universities where scientist obtained their degree or degrees
thesis_title
Title of the scientist's doctoral thesis
thesis_url
URL to the scientist's doctoral thesis
thesis_year
The year the thesis was defended and the scientist promoted
doctoral_advisor
Name of scientist's doctoral advisor, if applicable
academic_advisors
Names of any significant educational advisors (other than doctoral advisor)
doctoral_students
Names of any notable doctoral students advised by the scientist
notable_students
Names of any notable non-doctoral students advised by the scientist
known_for
Key topics/areas of study in which the scientist is notable
Any notable people who influenced the scientist significantly
influenced
Any notable people significantly influenced by the scientist
awards
Notable awards/prizes received by the scientist
signature
Filename of an image of the scientist's signature (if available)
signature_type
Change Signature label to for example Seal
signature_alt
Alt text for signature
website
Official website
footnotes
For any footnotes needed to clarify entries above
spouse
The scientist's spouse or spouses (with date ranges of marriage)
children
Number of children (e.g. three or 3), or list of names if notable, in which case, separate entries using {{Plainlist}} or {{Unbulleted list}}. For privacy reasons, consider omitting the names of children of living persons, unless the children are independently notable.
parents
or father/mother, the scientist's parents if independently notable
relatives
Other notable relatives
Guidelines
Note: "Lists" in the following are usually suitable for presentation using {{ublist}} (unbulleted list, one item per line) or {{hlist}} (horizontal list, item by item with linewrap).
name
This is the name that scientist was usually known by. Do not put the full expanded name here.
image
This is the portrait or photo of the scientist. If there is a choice between good images, chose the one from a period where the scientist's work flourished. Avoid photos where the scientist was a child or very elderly, unless there is nothing else available, or the scientist is still alive and elderly.
image_size
This should normally be left at the default image size which will let users change the size to their own preference.
alt
This should describe only the visual appearance of the image, for visually-impaired readers. It should not repeat the caption. See WP:ALT.
caption
The caption should contain the full expanded name of the scientist, year or birth and death, if available, and any relevant details about the photo or portrait.
birth_name
Birth name of scientist. Use only if different from name in header. This parameter will be displayed in the "born" field, before birth date and birthplace.
birth_date
Birth date of scientist. Use the full formatting that computes the scientist's age.
birth_place
Birthplace of scientist. Put town/city followed by country.
death_date
Death date of scientist. Use the full formatting that computes the scientists age.
death_place
Death place of scientist. Put town/city followed by country. Note: this is the place where the person died, which might be different from burial place.
resting_place
Where the scientist was buried, or their ashes scattered
resting_place_coordinates
WGS84 coordinates for |resting_place. Only use if known precisely (i.e. do not give generic coordinates for the cemetery). Use {{Coord}}.
List countries only. Use only when necessary per WP:INFONAT.
nationality
List country only. Use only when necessary per WP:INFONAT.
fields
List the scientist's principal field or fields of work as described in the article, e.g. Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Physiology, Molecular biology, Electronic engineering etc. Avoid using occupations, e.g., Physicist, Zoologist, Surgeon, Inventor.
workplaces
List the key work places, universities, companies, organizations etc., at which the scientist worked. Include places where the scientist was officially appointed with a payroll. Exclude minor places at which the scientist performed collaborative visits, or had adjunct appointments.
patrons
List notable benefactors who financially supported the scientist's education and/or research.
alma_mater
List the universities where the scientist obtained all their degrees from. In anomalous cases where a degree was carried out remotely or in a different university to the university that administered the degree, insert the administering university. The main article can then discuss the specific situation.
thesis_title
(or thesis1_title and thesis2_title) If the scientist obtained a doctorate or doctorates, insert the thesis/theses titles, otherwise leave blank.
thesis_url
(or thesis1_url and thesis2_url) A link or links to e.g. abstract/s of the scientist's thesis/theses at a university library, or their homepage, etc.
thesis_year
(or thesis1_year and thesis2_year) The year/s in which the scientist's thesis/theses were published.
doctoral_advisor
(or doctoral_advisors) If the scientist obtained a doctorate, insert their doctoral advisor or advisors, otherwise leave blank.
academic_advisors
Insert names of significant academic teachers other than the doctoral advisor: e.g. Master's advisor, postdoctoral supervisor, significant undergraduate mentor/teacher etc. In Cambridge, before 1919, there was no doctorate and so you can insert the relevant Cambridge tutor.
doctoral_students
Insert names of doctoral students supervised by the scientist. If a student does not have a wiki article, then comment the name out. It can be reinstated once such an article appears. The idea is to list only those students who are significant enough to warrant their own article.
notable_students
Insert names of any notable non-doctoral students taught or supervised by the scientist. These can be undergraduates, postdocs, masters students etc. If a student does not have a wiki article, then comment the name out.
known_for
Insert the key topics/areas for which the scientist is notable, e.g. "discovering the electron". In the case of prolific scientists, preferably list the discoveries named after the scientist, e.g. "Maxwell's equations". In the case where a scientist is so prolific that a whole wiki article listing the discoveries exists, insert a link to that page under the label (in italics) "see list" (i.e. ''[[(link)|see list]]'').
author_abbrev_bot
If a scientist is the author of a botanical species, insert their botanical author abbreviation here. Otherwise leave blank.
author_abbrev_zoo
If a scientist is the author of a zoological species, insert their zoological author abbreviation here. Otherwise leave blank.
spouse
(or spouses) Name/s of / link/s to the scientist's spouse/s.
partner
(or partners) Name/s of / link/s to the scientist's partner/s.
influences
List names of any notable people who influenced the scientist significantly. Influences should be restricted to a small number, i.e. two or three, where the scientist was clearly and directly building on the work of a predecessor (for example, the scientist may have identified a predecessor as providing the foundation for one of their major achievements). Unless the scientist was clearly building on an earlier work, avoid adding influences that were only via study, as such influences are generally too many and hard to separate. Only list influences who are notable enough to warrant their own wiki article.
influenced
List names of any notable people who were significantly influenced by the scientist. Influenced should be restricted to a small number (perhaps two or three), where the scientist clearly and directly provided the foundation for work by a later thinker. For example, the scientist may be named by the later thinker as providing the basis for one of their major works. Unless the later thinker was clearly building on the scientist's work, avoid adding names that were only influenced by study of the scientist, as such influences are generally too many and hard to separate. Only list influenced people who are notable enough to warrant their own wiki article.
awards
List major awards. Put year of award in brackets after name of award. Insert a line break after each award. Avoid awards that are not significant enough to withstand their own wiki article description.
signature
Filename of an image of the scientist's handwritten signature (if available).
signature_type
Change Signature label to for example Seal.
signature_alt
Alt text for the signature. Typically this is just the text of the signature (e.g. "Is. Newton" for File:Isaac Newton signature.svg).
website
Official website only. Unofficial websites should be placed under ==External links== in the body of the article. Use {{URL}} as {{URL|www.example.com}}.
footnotes
For any footnotes needed to clarify entries above. This section is also often used to add extra notable items, typically, if the scientist is a relative of another person with a wiki article.
Common errors to avoid
Always copy and paste the infobox template from here, not another article, in order to guarantee the full correct version.
If a field does not apply, leave it blank. Do not delete it. This is because is acts as a place-holder and future editors may find a field applies after all. You may put a comment in the blank field that it is not applicable if you are sure of this.
The person's name in their own language, if different.
String
optional
Native name lang
native_name_lang
Name of scientist in other language
String
optional
Image
image
Image of scientist
File
optional
Image size
image_sizeimagesize
Image's width
Number
optional
Alternative text
alt
Image alt text, for visually impaired readers
String
optional
Caption
caption
Image caption if known
String
optional
Birth name
birth_name
Scientist's birth name
String
optional
Birth date
birth_date
Scientist's date of birth
Line
optional
Birth place
birth_place
Place of birth
String
optional
Death date
death_date
Date of death
Line
optional
Death place
death_place
Place of death
String
optional
Resting place
resting_place
Place of burial
String
optional
Resting place coordinates
resting_place_coordinates
Coordinates for place of burial
String
optional
Other names
other_names
Former- or nick- names
String
optional
Siglum
siglum
Siglum, monogram, shortcut
String
optional
Citizenship
citizenship
Scientist's citizenship.
String
optional
Nationality
nationality
Nationality of scientist
String
optional
Fields
fields
Principal fields of work not occupation
String
optional
Workplaces
workplaces
workplace where scientist worked
String
optional
Patrons
patrons
Notable people who subsidized the scientist's education and/or research
String
optional
Alma mater
alma_mater
University or universities where scientist obtained their degree or degrees
String
optional
Thesis title
thesis_title
Title of the scientist's doctoral thesis.
String
optional
Thesis URL
thesis_url
URL to the scientist's doctoral thesis
String
optional
Thesis year
thesis_year
The year the thesis was defended and the scientist promoted.
Line
optional
Doctoral advisor
doctoral_advisor
Name of scientist's doctoral advisor, if applicable
String
optional
Academic advisors
academic_advisors
Names of any significant educational advisors
String
optional
Doctoral students
doctoral_students
Names of any notable doctoral students advised by the scientist
String
optional
Notable students
notable_students
Names of any notable non-doctoral students advised by the scientist
String
optional
Known for
known_for
Topics/areas of study in which the scientist notable
String
optional
Botanical author abbreviation
author_abbrev_bot
If a scientist is the author of a botanical species, insert their botanical author abbreviation.
String
optional
Zoological author abbreviation
author_abbrev_zoo
If a scientist is the author of a zoological species, insert their zoological author abbreviation.
String
optional
Influences
influences
Any notable people who influenced the scientist significantly
String
optional
Influenced
influenced
Any notable people significantly influenced by the scientist.
String
optional
Awards
awards
Notable awards/prizes received by the scientist.
String
optional
Signature
signature
Filename of an image of the scientist's signature
Page name
optional
Signature type
signature_type
Change Signature label to for example Seal.
String
optional
Signature alt
signature_alt
Alt text for signature.
String
optional
Website
website
Official website
String
optional
Footnotes
footnotes
For any footnotes needed to clarify entries above.
String
optional
Spouse(s)
spousespouses
The scientist's spouse(s)
String
optional
Partner(s)
partnerpartners
The scientist’s partner(s)
String
optional
Children
children
Number of children (e.g. three or 3), or list of names, in which case, separate entries using Template:Plainlist or Template:Unbulleted list. For privacy reasons, consider omitting the names of children of living persons, unless the children are independently notable.
