Enhance website with Virginia Tech branding and improved visual design

Author: huaicheng

assets/css/custom.css

@@ -1,10 +1,22 @@
 /* Global Typography System - Academic Excellence */
 :root {
+  /* Virginia Tech Brand Colors */
+  --vt-maroon: #861F41;
+  --vt-orange: #E5751F;
+  --vt-maroon-dark: #6B1833;
+  --vt-orange-light: #FF8C42;
+  --vt-gray-900: #1F2937;
+  --vt-gray-800: #374151;
+  --vt-gray-600: #6B7280;
+  --vt-gray-400: #9CA3AF;
+  --vt-gray-200: #E5E7EB;
+  --vt-gray-100: #F3F4F6;
+  --vt-gray-50: #F9FAFB;
+
   /* Animation Timings */
   --transition-fast: 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
   --transition-medium: 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
   --transition-slow: 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
-  
 
   /* Spacing System - 8-Point Grid */
   --space-1: 0.5rem;   /* 8px */
@@ -46,7 +58,7 @@ body {
   font-family: var(--font-family-primary);
   font-size: var(--font-size-base);
   line-height: var(--line-height-normal);
-  color: #374151;
+  color: var(--vt-gray-800);
   font-weight: 400;
   letter-spacing: -0.01em;
 }
@@ -118,7 +130,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
   transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
   width: 8px;
   height: 8px;
-  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #861F41, #E5751F);
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, var(--vt-maroon), var(--vt-orange));
   border-radius: 50%;
   box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);
 }
@@ -128,7 +140,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
   margin: var(--space-6) auto;
   max-width: 300px;
   height: 2px;
-  background: linear-gradient(90deg, transparent, #861F41, #E5751F, transparent);
+  background: linear-gradient(90deg, transparent, var(--vt-maroon), var(--vt-orange), transparent);
 }
 
 /* Subtle Section Break */
@@ -173,7 +185,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
   left: 0;
   width: 80px;
   height: 3px;
-  background: linear-gradient(90deg, #861F41 0%, #E5751F 100%);
+  background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--vt-maroon) 0%, var(--vt-orange) 100%);
   border-radius: 2px;
 }
 
@@ -293,7 +305,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
 .content blockquote, .main-container blockquote {
   margin: 1.5rem 0;
   padding: 1rem 1.5rem;
-  border-left: 4px solid #861F41;
+  border-left: 4px solid var(--vt-maroon);
   background-color: #f8fafc;
   border-radius: 0 0.5rem 0.5rem 0;
 }
@@ -501,7 +513,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
 }
 
 .publication-entry .publication-title a:hover {
-  color: #861F41;
+  color: var(--vt-maroon);
   text-decoration: underline;
 }
 
@@ -513,7 +525,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
 
 .publication-entry .publication-venue {
   font-size: 0.9rem;
-  color: #861F41;
+  color: var(--vt-maroon);
   font-weight: 500;
   margin-bottom: 0.5rem; /* Increased further for better spacing between venue and links */
 }
@@ -618,14 +630,14 @@ section.co-advised-section {
 /* Publication number styling */
 .publication-number {
   font-weight: 700;
-  color: #861F41;
+  color: var(--vt-maroon);
   font-size: 1.1rem;
 }
 
 /* Author styling */
 .moatlab-author {
   text-decoration: underline;
-  color: #861F41;
+  color: var(--vt-maroon);
   font-weight: 500;
 }
 
@@ -786,7 +798,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
 }
 
 .person-name a:hover {
-  color: #861F41;
+  color: var(--vt-maroon);
   text-decoration: none;
 }
 
@@ -830,7 +842,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
 }
 
 .person-links a:hover {
-  color: #861F41;
+  color: var(--vt-maroon);
   text-decoration: none;
 }
 
@@ -926,7 +938,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
   left: 0;
   width: 3px;
   height: 0;
-  background: linear-gradient(180deg, #861F41, #E5751F);
+  background: linear-gradient(180deg, var(--vt-maroon), var(--vt-orange));
   transition: height 0.3s ease;
   border-radius: 6px 0 0 6px;
 }
@@ -1135,7 +1147,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
   left: 0;
   right: 0;
   height: 3px;
-  background: linear-gradient(90deg, #861F41 0%, #E5751F 100%);
+  background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--vt-maroon) 0%, var(--vt-orange) 100%);
 }
 
 .news-scroll {
@@ -1195,7 +1207,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
 }
 
 .news-date {
-  color: #861F41;
+  color: var(--vt-maroon);
   font-size: 0.8rem;
   font-weight: 700;
   min-width: 65px;
@@ -1265,11 +1277,11 @@ section.co-advised-section {
 .hero-title {
   font-size: 3.5rem;
   font-weight: 800;
-  color: #1e293b;
+  color: var(--vt-gray-900);
   margin: 0 0 0.5rem 0;
   letter-spacing: -0.025em;
   line-height: 1.1;
-  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #861F41 0%, #E5751F 50%, #861F41 100%);
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, var(--vt-maroon) 0%, var(--vt-orange) 50%, var(--vt-maroon) 100%);
   background-size: 200% 200%;
   -webkit-background-clip: text;
   -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
@@ -1280,7 +1292,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
 .hero-subtitle {
   font-size: 1.4rem;
   font-weight: 500;
-  color: #64748b;
+  color: var(--vt-gray-600);
   margin: 0 0 2rem 0;
   letter-spacing: 0.025em;
   text-transform: uppercase;
@@ -1418,7 +1430,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
   background: linear-gradient(135deg, #f1f5f9 0%, #e2e8f0 100%);
   padding: 16px 20px;
   border-radius: 12px;
-  border-left: 4px solid #861F41;
+  border-left: 4px solid var(--vt-maroon);
   font-size: 0.95rem;
   line-height: 1.4;
   transition: all 0.3s ease;
@@ -1433,7 +1445,7 @@ section.co-advised-section {
 }
 
 .content h3 + ul li strong {
-  color: #861F41;
+  color: var(--vt-maroon);
   font-weight: 700;
 }
 

content/project/cxl-memory/featured.png

@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
     <meta charset="UTF-8">
     <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
     <title>{{ .Site.Title }}</title>
-    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/themes/blue.min.css">
-    <link href="/dist/wc.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
+    {{ $styles := resources.Get "css/custom.css" | resources.Minify }}
+    <link rel="stylesheet" href="{{ $styles.RelPermalink }}">
     {{ partial "custom_head.html" . }}
     <style>
         body {
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@
         }
 
         .publication-title a:hover {
-            color: #861F41;
+            color: var(--vt-maroon);
             text-decoration: underline;
         }
 
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@
 
         .moatlab-author {
             text-decoration: underline;
-            color: #861F41;
+            color: var(--vt-maroon);
         }
 
         .pi-author {
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@
 
         .publication-venue {
             font-size: 0.9rem;
-            color: #861F41;
+            color: var(--vt-maroon);
             font-weight: 500;
             margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
         }
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@
         }
 
         .publication-links a {
-            color: #861F41;
+            color: var(--vt-maroon);
             text-decoration: none;
             margin-right: 1rem;
         }
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@
         }
 
         .person-name a:hover {
-            color: #861F41 !important;
+            color: var(--vt-maroon) !important;
         }
 
         .person-title, .person-card p:nth-of-type(1) {
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@
         .person-email {
             margin: 0 0 5px 0 !important;
             font-size: 0.85rem !important;
-            color: #861F41 !important;
+            color: var(--vt-maroon) !important;
             line-height: 1.4 !important;
             padding: 0 !important;
         }
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@
         }
 
         .person-links a {
-            color: #861F41;
+            color: var(--vt-maroon);
             text-decoration: none;
             font-size: 0.85rem;
             font-weight: 500;

content/project/os-architecture/featured.png

@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ <h1>Research Projects</h1>
   <div class="projects-grid">
     {{ range $index, $page := .Pages }}
     <article class="project-card">
+      {{ $featured := .Resources.GetMatch "featured.*" }}
+      {{ if $featured }}
+      <div class="project-image">
+        <img src="{{ $featured.RelPermalink }}" alt="{{ .Title }}" loading="lazy">
+      </div>
+      {{ end }}
+      
       <div class="project-content">
         <h2 class="project-title">
           {{ .Title }}
@@ -66,17 +73,35 @@ <h2 class="project-title">
 
 .project-card {
   background: white;
-  border: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
-  border-radius: 12px;
+  border: 1px solid var(--vt-gray-200);
+  border-radius: 16px;
   overflow: hidden;
-  transition: all 0.3s ease;
-  box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04);
+  transition: all 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(134, 31, 65, 0.08);
+  cursor: pointer;
 }
 
 .project-card:hover {
-  transform: translateY(-4px);
-  box-shadow: 0 8px 25px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
-  border-color: #c7d2fe;
+  transform: translateY(-8px);
+  box-shadow: 0 20px 40px rgba(134, 31, 65, 0.15);
+  border-color: var(--vt-maroon);
+}
+
+.project-image {
+  position: relative;
+  height: 200px;
+  overflow: hidden;
+}
+
+.project-image img {
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 100%;
+  object-fit: cover;
+  transition: transform 0.3s ease;
+}
+
+.project-card:hover .project-image img {
+  transform: scale(1.05);
 }
 
 
@@ -91,17 +116,22 @@ <h2 class="project-title">
   margin: 0 0 0.75rem 0;
   line-height: 1.3;
   text-align: center;
-  color: #1f2937;
+  color: var(--vt-gray-900);
+  transition: color 0.3s ease;
+}
+
+.project-card:hover .project-title {
+  color: var(--vt-maroon);
 }
 
 
 .project-summary {
-  color: #6b7280;
-  line-height: 1.5;
+  color: var(--vt-gray-600);
+  line-height: 1.6;
   margin: 0 0 1rem 0;
   font-size: 0.95rem;
   display: -webkit-box;
-  -webkit-line-clamp: 2;
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 3;
   -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
   overflow: hidden;
 }
@@ -112,15 +142,17 @@ <h2 class="project-title">
 
 .tag {
   display: inline-block;
-  background: #f3f4f6;
-  color: #6b7280;
-  padding: 0.125rem 0.5rem;
-  border-radius: 8px;
-  font-size: 0.65rem;
-  font-weight: 500;
-  margin-right: 0.25rem;
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, var(--vt-maroon), var(--vt-orange));
+  color: white;
+  padding: 0.25rem 0.75rem;
+  border-radius: 12px;
+  font-size: 0.7rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  margin-right: 0.375rem;
+  margin-bottom: 0.25rem;
   text-transform: uppercase;
   letter-spacing: 0.025em;
+  box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(134, 31, 65, 0.2);
 }