I’m Ieben. I run code, sometimes marathons, and often experiments on the Web.

Hi, I’m Ieben Smessaert, a PhD researcher at the KNoWS research group within IDLab, a collaboration between Ghent University and imec , based in Ghent, Belgium.

My research focuses on decentralized Web technologies, particularly how we can publish Linked Data and create dynamic views over it as reusable Web APIs. I’m especially interested in how applications can discover and select the most suitable view for a query at runtime, enabling smoother access to dataspace ecosystems, supporting shared infrastructure between users, and fostering Evolvable APIs that don’t lock apps to one specific backend.

Another key focus of my work is improving data usability. I explore how we can make data from different sources accessible and editable through a unified interface using Web Forms. With declarative RDF-based form descriptions, we can tailor data-entry interfaces to both the structure of the data and the user’s context.

Beyond research, I assist in the Web Development course taught by Ruben Verborgh at Ghent University , where I support students in applying these web concepts in practice by giving a practical session on the optimization of Web performance in Web applications.

My background in and strong passion for software development strongly supports my academic work. I enjoy building practical tools and applications that showcase the potential of decentralized technologies, often uncovering gaps in existing approaches that theory alone might overlook. I also contribute to interoperable tooling for the Semantic Web.

That passion also extends to my freelance work. Over the years, I’ve helped clients with everything from simple websites to full web apps with custom CMS solutions. I love building tools that are both functional and enjoyable to use. If you have a project in mind, I’m available for freelance work — feel free to get in touch!

When I’m not behind a keyboard, I enjoy staying active. After nearly two decades of playing basketball, I’ve transitioned to running and completed my first marathon at the European Running Championships from Brussels to Leuven in 2025. I also enjoy strength training and cycling whenever time allows. Outside of sport, I love to travel—discovering new places both on foot and through the lens of my drone, which I often bring along to capture aerial views and moments from above.