diff --git a/_config.yml b/_config.yml
index bf3efe6cd35663558dc04910805fd86c96886043..72e8c9584bf94c690a3efe009a9b074a888f6eef 100644
--- a/_config.yml
+++ b/_config.yml
@@ -45,10 +45,12 @@ menu:
     - title: 'News'
       url: '/news/'
     - title: 'People'
-      folder: 'people'
       items:
+        - title: 'Current Members'
+          url: '/people/'
+        - title: 'Former Members'
+          url: '/people/former/'
         - title: 'Bibliography'
-          menu_order: 10000
           external: true
           url: 'https://kwarc.github.io/bibs/'
     - title: 'Research'
@@ -68,7 +70,25 @@ menu:
 # Settings for compressing everything
 compress_html:
   clippings: []
-  comments: ["<!-- ", " -->"]      
+  comments: ["<!-- ", " -->"]
+ 
+# roles for people and their name
+roles:
+    - 
+        id: faculty
+        name: Faculty
+    -
+        id: postdoc
+        name: Postdocs
+    - 
+        id: phd-student
+        name: "Phd Students"
+    - 
+        id: master-student
+        name: "Master Students"
+    -
+        id: bachelor-student
+        name: "Bachelor Students"
   
 
 # default values -- the one for all **must** be first 
diff --git a/_includes/menu_sub.html b/_includes/menu_sub.html
index fa3153470151ec21b0f17a624eb72c32b1bc316a..de57fe2bb4904987046f8969f5d002f5d26d6abd 100644
--- a/_includes/menu_sub.html
+++ b/_includes/menu_sub.html
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 
                         <!-- if we have items, iterate over them -->
                         {% if item.items %}
-                            {% for item in (item.items | sort: "menu_order") %}
+                            {% for item in item.items %}
                                 {% include menu_single.html %}
                             {% endfor %}
                         {% endif %}
diff --git a/_includes/people_list.html b/_includes/people_list.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..af5c26aeb965f7d68ee48fa1b4db11dc1637fa5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_includes/people_list.html
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+{% comment %}
+    Generates a list of people. 
+    Expects 'people' as an argument, representing the list of people to show. 
+{% endcomment %}
+
+{% for role in site.roles %}
+    {% assign rollers = people | where: "role", role.id %}
+    
+    {% if rollers.size > 0 %}
+        <ul class="collection with-header">
+            <li class="collection-header"><h4>{{role.name}}</h4></li>
+            {% for person in rollers %}
+                <li class="collection-item avatar">
+                    <img src="/{{person.pic}}" alt="" class="circle">
+                        <a href="{{person.url}}" class="title">{{person.fullname}}</a>
+                        <p>
+                            {% if person.start_date %}
+                                from {{person.start_date}} <br/>
+                            {% endif %}
+                            {% if person.end_date %}
+                                until {{person.end_date}} <br/>
+                            {% endif %}
+                        </p>
+                </li>
+            {% endfor %}
+        </ul>
+    {% endif %}
+{% endfor %}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/people/README.md b/people/README.md
index 015fe0b8fe2c219adaae9a1d1fe01555b366155e..8fb3ef99c16ac228b4e11b8f7e496463a4a77d04 100644
--- a/people/README.md
+++ b/people/README.md
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ Each file  needs some specific parameters:
  * **affiliation** the academic affiliation 
  * **account** (the base name of the file)
  * **cv** (optionall) ink to a CV.
- * **start-date** (optional) a start date (YYYY-MM) 
- * **end-date** (optional) an end date (YYYY-MM) 
+ * **start_date** (optional) a start date (YYYY-MM) 
+ * **end_date** (optional) an end date (YYYY-MM) 
  * **role** one of *master-student*, *bachelor-student*, *phd-student*, *postdoc*, *faculty* or *guest* 
  * **crossref** (optional) if the home page is outside this web site.
 
-
+A person is considered as 'active' (i.e. a current member) if and only if their `end_date` is unset. 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/people/akohlhase.md b/people/akohlhase.md
index d5a2b64cd0e33f12712c4b26dd9f43a5f3394bdc..f4bcd7b7669ace349b627b27331761429be717a1 100644
--- a/people/akohlhase.md
+++ b/people/akohlhase.md
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Andrea Kohlhase
-menu_order: 102
 fullname: Prof. Dr. Andrea Kohlhase
 role: postdoc
 pic: public/images/akohlhase.jpg
-start-date: 2005-12
-end-date: 2014-08
+start_date: 2005-12
+end_date: 2014-08
 ---
 ### Description
 
diff --git a/people/cjucovschi.md b/people/cjucovschi.md
index 7d87355585ed91c1f2ff0100a4b4f4cc7f7f81f3..ab5d2fc047b1f6d6068cffae4d8fbcfaa31378d3 100644
--- a/people/cjucovschi.md
+++ b/people/cjucovschi.md
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Constantin Jucovschi
-menu_order: 101
 fullname: Constantin Jucovschi
 affiliation: Computer Science, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
 account: cjucovschi
 role: phd-student
 pic: public/images/cjucovschi.jpeg
-start-date: 2007-10
+start_date: 2007-10
 ---
 
 ### Description: 
diff --git a/people/clange.md b/people/clange.md
index 9c6a397a302494d7a64e4d473893ca0bcf99d014..0d3ac1c128f7987a17b408902eb2428a7f9a4cc4 100644
--- a/people/clange.md
+++ b/people/clange.md
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Christoph Lange
-menu_order: 102
 fullname: Dr. Christoph Lange
 role: phd-student
 pic: public/images/clange.jpg
-start-date: 2008-07
-end-date: 2012-08
+start_date: 2008-07
+end_date: 2012-08
 ---
 ### Thesis Title:
 Enabling Collaboration on Semiformal Mathematical Knowledge by Semantic Web Integration 
diff --git a/people/cmueller.md b/people/cmueller.md
index 7da3cd5eefc8a48212a4d34e3bc22e68c0550643..e7c3e45378b31a299825fa3e7573fa3dc60de8b6 100644
--- a/people/cmueller.md
+++ b/people/cmueller.md
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Christine Müller
-menu_order: 102
 fullname: Dr. Christine Müller
 role: phd-student
 pic: public/images/cmueller.jpg
-start-date: 2006-09
-end-date: 2010-05
+start_date: 2006-09
+end_date: 2010-05
 ---
 ### Description
 In May 2010 I have received my PhD in computer science at the Jacobs  University.
diff --git a/people/dginev.md b/people/dginev.md
index 97144a399539b1cd39121c3d12cdc5bfcc1a0b3f..5d1ffd7195c59ee00e23bedaa99175e9f8e1ee8e 100644
--- a/people/dginev.md
+++ b/people/dginev.md
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 ---
 layout: person
-title: Deyan Ginev 
-menu_order: 101
+title: Deyan Ginev
 fullname: Deyan Ginev
 affiliation: Computer Science, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
 account: dginev
 role: phd-student
-start-date: 2007-02
+start_date: 2007-02
 pic: public/images/dginev.jpeg
 ---
 ### Contact
diff --git a/people/dmueller.md b/people/dmueller.md
index de5e30258c1d7e7fef934b2278560f0a090b55b0..6730f7c0512ec384a99aae864bab3cb1803db7a2 100644
--- a/people/dmueller.md
+++ b/people/dmueller.md
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 ---
 layout: person
-title: Dennis Müller 
-menu_order: 101
+title: Dennis Müller
 fullname: Dennis Müller
 affiliation: Computer Science, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
 account: dmueller
 role: phd-student
-start-date: 2015-04
+start_date: 2015-04
 pic: public/images/dmueller.jpg
 ---
  Ph.D. Student at KWARC
diff --git a/people/fhorozal.md b/people/fhorozal.md
index 9cf91e2ec6f5544eccfad5adb97e234015a7787b..5d7e68d8f124dc0ef1381428b981c26cf1c30686 100644
--- a/people/fhorozal.md
+++ b/people/fhorozal.md
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Fulya Horozal
-menu_order: 102
 fullname: Dr. Fulya Horozal
 role: phd-student
 pic: public/images/fhorozal.jpg
-start-date: 2010-05
-end-date: 2014-12
+start_date: 2010-05
+end_date: 2014-12
 ---
 ### Thesis Title:
 Framework for Defining Declarative Languages 
diff --git a/people/former.html b/people/former.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..85cee9c2a7aa5fd8fe5358ad0adfdfe8147a43c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/people/former.html
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+layout: default
+title: KWARC People
+---
+
+<h2>Former Members of the KWARC Group</h2>
+
+{% assign people = site.pages | where: "layout", "person" | where_exp: "person", "person.end_date != null" | sort: "start_date" %}
+{% include people_list.html %}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/people/frabe.md b/people/frabe.md
index 4d9644e0aa1a1d783b106e5815da3bd7654536c2..e5f720c3c3866b010e58cf406e5e250f57954a67 100644
--- a/people/frabe.md
+++ b/people/frabe.md
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Florian Rabe
-menu_order: 102
 fullname: PD Dr. Florian Rabe
 account: frabe
 role: postdoc
-start-date: 2005-09
+start_date: 2005-09
 ---
 to be decided how to integrate his stuff
diff --git a/people/hstamerjohanns.md b/people/hstamerjohanns.md
index 38ee4dd3e55e2d2994d0ab8ed4d3e1ec02751886..9e2e79de0d9999be236bbcbfb3b5caadf5406e14 100644
--- a/people/hstamerjohanns.md
+++ b/people/hstamerjohanns.md
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Heinrich Stamerjohanns
-menu_order: 102
 fullname: Dr. Heinrich Stamerjohanns
 role: postdoc
-start-date: 2005-09
-end-date: 2014-03
+start_date: 2005-09
+end_date: 2014-03
 crossref: http://www.eecs.jacobs-university.de/wiki/index.php/Heinrich_Stamerjohanns
 ---
 
diff --git a/people/index.html b/people/index.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..44745eba633ab1202f5ad3f6babab63929ac9774
--- /dev/null
+++ b/people/index.html
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+layout: default
+title: KWARC People
+---
+
+<h2>Current Members of the KWARC Group</h2>
+
+{% assign people = site.pages | where: "layout", "person" | where_exp: "person", "person.end_date == null" | sort: "start_date" %}
+{% include people_list.html %}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/people/index.md b/people/index.md
deleted file mode 100644
index badf39908c7de5a0841dd527fcb3166a36ff4dc0..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/people/index.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
----
-layout: default
-title: KWARC People
-menu_title: Current
-menu_order: 100
----
-## Current Members of the KWARC Group([former members](/people/former))
-
-listing to be generated here.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
diff --git a/people/inormann.md b/people/inormann.md
index 4f7efaa2e12abf3bc2fefffc0be8fec97aa75089..b9219dd0869055efdc22f0fcc36e9dd4e8a786aa 100644
--- a/people/inormann.md
+++ b/people/inormann.md
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Immanuel Normann
-menu_order: 102
 fullname: Dr. Immanuel Normann
 role: phd-student
 pic: public/images/inormann.jpg
-start-date: 2004-01
-end-date: 2008-12
+start_date: 2004-01
+end_date: 2008-12
 ---
 ### Description
 Immanuel Normann was a Ph.D. student at KWARC,
diff --git a/people/jbetzendal.md b/people/jbetzendal.md
index c9ba4e3206994216e4ad0cbc463dcc381289d350..a25ec135b2005d40192b1b386e18e9e191dab58d 100644
--- a/people/jbetzendal.md
+++ b/people/jbetzendal.md
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Jonas Betzendal
-menu_order: 102
 fullname: B.Sc. Jonas Betzendal
 affiliation: Data Engineering, Jacobs University
 account: twiesing
 role: master-student
-start-date: 2016-08
+start_date: 2016-08
 pic: public/images/jbetzendal.jpg
 ---
 
diff --git a/people/miancu.md b/people/miancu.md
index 62674b1fb380ebbcf9675c96e515731e86b63fec..edd555cdbc49391d99046283d9b76c3266393b60 100644
--- a/people/miancu.md
+++ b/people/miancu.md
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Mihnea Iancu
-menu_order: 101
 fullname: Mihnea Iancu
 affiliation: Computer Science, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
 account: miancu
 role: phd-student
-start-date: 2012-04
+start_date: 2012-04
+end_date: 2017-01
 ---
 Ph.D. Student at KWARC
  working on various projects within the KWARC group in the direction of iMMT and OMDoc2.
diff --git a/people/mkohlhase-activities.md b/people/mkohlhase-activities.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 52bc4d7ff891fd59aac1716c8c19c9eecd5cd795..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/people/mkohlhase-activities.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
----
-layout: page
-menu_hidden: true
----
-## Academic Activities
-
-just testing
diff --git a/people/mkohlhase-cv.md b/people/mkohlhase-cv.md
deleted file mode 100644
index d67b8c20e5d98013b911f9ac30419a6042a8cd61..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/people/mkohlhase-cv.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
----
-layout: page
-menu_hidden: true
----
-## CV Michael Kohlhase
-
-just testing
diff --git a/people/mkohlhase.md b/people/mkohlhase.md
index 617bd49d828e3424834273bd5d94e7adbdbe6fa1..e30ac338abc923cf31e882f8f806571085953ede 100644
--- a/people/mkohlhase.md
+++ b/people/mkohlhase.md
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Michael Kohlhase
-menu_order: 101
 fullname: Prof. Dr. Michael Kohlhase
 fulltitle: Professur für Wissensrepräsentation und -verarbeitung
 affiliation: Computer Science, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
 account: mkohlhase
-cv: people/mkohlhase-cv
 role: faculty
 pic: public/images/mkohlhase.jpg
 ---
diff --git a/people/nmueller.md b/people/nmueller.md
index 71a72080656d40683805006ab14d066a7d27ddaa..cddab1448a12cb41d8e61d5110a88d4c780fee37 100644
--- a/people/nmueller.md
+++ b/people/nmueller.md
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Normen Müller
-menu_order: 102
 fullname: Dr. Normen Müller
 role: phd-student
 pic: public/images/nmueller.jpg
-start-date: 2005-09
-end-date: 2010-07
+start_date: 2005-09
+end_date: 2010-07
 ---
 ### Description
 In May 2010 I have received my PhD in computer science at the Jacobs  University.
diff --git a/people/twiesing.md b/people/twiesing.md
index 2f61c223723889eb7eed668b27f9c80a6b9650b9..afb337efd0c0bae35ac61e849878070a7f16cc78 100644
--- a/people/twiesing.md
+++ b/people/twiesing.md
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Tom Wiesing
-menu_order: 102
 fullname: B.Sc. Tom Wiesing
 affiliation: Data Engineering, Jacobs University
 account: twiesing
 role: master-student
 pic: public/images/twiesing.jpg
+start_date: 2013-02
 ---
 
 ### Description: 
diff --git a/people/vzholudev.md b/people/vzholudev.md
index 185c183a8057d21421a603264eda6ebe1b09025e..b8f9a66bc35a1c2bbcefd6fc88bd98fc6a06a8ee 100644
--- a/people/vzholudev.md
+++ b/people/vzholudev.md
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 ---
 layout: person
 title: Vyacheslav Zholudev
-menu_order: 102
 fullname: Dr. Vyacheslav Zholudev
 role: phd-student
 pic: public/images/vzholudev.jpg
-start-date: 2007-09
-end-date: 2012-07
+start_date: 2007-09
+end_date: 2012-07
 ---
 ### Description
 In July 2012 I have received my PhD in computer science at the Jacobs  University.