diff --git a/_includes/author-profile.html b/_includes/author-profile.html
index 81e66b12c67a5..9571b4a788fed 100644
--- a/_includes/author-profile.html
+++ b/_includes/author-profile.html
@@ -25,130 +25,130 @@ <h3 class="author__name">{{ author.name }}</h3>
     <ul class="author__urls social-icons">
       <!-- Font Awesome icons / Biographic information  -->
       {% if author.location %}
-        <li><i class="fa-solid fa-location-dot" aria-hidden="true"></i> {{ author.location }}</li>
+        <li><i class="fa-solid fa-location-dot icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>{{ author.location }}</li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.employer %}
-        <li><i class="fa fa-solid fa-building-columns" aria-hidden="true"></i> {{ author.employer }}</li>
+        <li><i class="fa fa-solid fa-building-columns icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>{{ author.employer }}</li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.uri %}
-        <li><a href="{{ author.uri }}"><i class="fas fa-fw fa-link" aria-hidden="true"></i> {{ site.data.ui-text[site.locale].website_label | default: "Website" }}</a></li>
+        <li><a href="{{ author.uri }}"><i class="fas fa-fw fa-link icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>{{ site.data.ui-text[site.locale].website_label | default: "Website" }}</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.email %}
-        <li><a href="mailto:{{ author.email }}"><i class="fas fa-fw fa-envelope" aria-hidden="true"></i> {{ site.data.ui-text[site.locale].email_label | default: "Email" }}</a></li>
+        <li><a href="mailto:{{ author.email }}"><i class="fas fa-fw fa-envelope icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>{{ site.data.ui-text[site.locale].email_label | default: "Email" }}</a></li>
       {% endif %}
 
       <!-- Font Awesome and Academicons icons / Academic websites -->
       {% if author.arxiv %}
-        <li><a href="{{ author.arxiv }}"><i class="ai ai-arxiv ai-fw"></i> arXiv</a></li>
+        <li><a href="{{ author.arxiv }}"><i class="ai ai-arxiv ai-fw icon-pad-right"></i>arXiv</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.googlescholar %}
-        <li><a href="{{ author.googlescholar }}"><i class="fas fa-fw fa-graduation-cap"></i> Google Scholar</a></li>
+        <li><a href="{{ author.googlescholar }}"><i class="ai ai-google-scholar icon-pad-right"></i>Google Scholar</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.impactstory %}
-        <li><a href="{{ author.impactstory }}"><i class="ai ai-impactstory ai-fw"></i> Impactstory</a></li>
+        <li><a href="{{ author.impactstory }}"><i class="ai ai-impactstory ai-fw icon-pad-right"></i>Impactstory</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.orcid %}
-        <li><a href="{{ author.orcid }}"><i class="ai ai-orcid ai-fw"></i> ORCID</a></li>
+        <li><a href="{{ author.orcid }}"><i class="ai ai-orcid ai-fw icon-pad-right"></i>ORCID</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.pubmed %}
-        <li><a href="{{ author.pubmed }}"><i class="ai ai-pubmed ai-fw"></i> PubMed</a></li>
+        <li><a href="{{ author.pubmed }}"><i class="ai ai-pubmed ai-fw icon-pad-right"></i>PubMed</a></li>
       {% endif %}                        
       {% if author.researchgate %}
-        <li><a href="{{ author.researchgate }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-researchgate" aria-hidden="true"></i> ResearchGate</a></li>
+        <li><a href="{{ author.researchgate }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-researchgate icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>ResearchGate</a></li>
       {% endif %}
 
       <!-- Font Awesome icons / Repositories and software development -->
       {% if author.bitbucket %}
-        <li><a href="https://bitbucket.org/{{ author.bitbucket }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-bitbucket" aria-hidden="true"></i> Bitbucket</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://bitbucket.org/{{ author.bitbucket }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-bitbucket icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Bitbucket</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.codepen %}
-        <li><a href="https://codepen.io/{{ author.codepen }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-codepen" aria-hidden="true"></i> CodePen</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://codepen.io/{{ author.codepen }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-codepen icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>CodePen</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.dribbble %}
-        <li><a href="https://dribbble.com/{{ author.dribbble }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-dribbble" aria-hidden="true"></i> Dribbble</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://dribbble.com/{{ author.dribbble }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-dribbble icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Dribbble</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.github %}
-        <li><a href="https://github.com/{{ author.github }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-github" aria-hidden="true"></i> Github</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://github.com/{{ author.github }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-github icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Github</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.kaggle %}
-        <li><a href="https://kaggle.com/{{ author.kaggle }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-kaggle" aria-hidden="true"></i> Kaggle</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://kaggle.com/{{ author.kaggle }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-kaggle icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Kaggle</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.stackoverflow %}
-        <li><a href="https://www.stackoverflow.com/users/{{ author.stackoverflow }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-stack-overflow" aria-hidden="true"></i> Stackoverflow</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://www.stackoverflow.com/users/{{ author.stackoverflow }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-stack-overflow icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Stackoverflow</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
 
       <!-- Font Awesome icons / Social media -->
       {% if author.bluesky %}
-        <li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/{{ author.bluesky }}"><i class="fa-solid fa-square" style="color: #1184fe" aria-hidden="true"></i> Bluesky</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/{{ author.bluesky }}"><i class="fa-solid fa-square icon-pad-right" style="color: #1184fe" aria-hidden="true"></i>Bluesky</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.facebook %}
-        <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/{{ author.facebook }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-facebook-f" aria-hidden="true"></i> Facebook</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/{{ author.facebook }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-facebook-f icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Facebook</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.flickr %}
-        <li><a href="https://www.flickr.com/{{ author.flickr }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-flickr" aria-hidden="true"></i> Flickr</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://www.flickr.com/{{ author.flickr }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-flickr icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Flickr</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.foursquare %}
-        <li><a href="https://foursquare.com/{{ author.foursquare }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-foursquare" aria-hidden="true"></i> Foursquare</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://foursquare.com/{{ author.foursquare }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-foursquare icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Foursquare</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.goodreads %}
-        <li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/{{ author.goodreads }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-goodreads" aria-hidden="true"></i> Goodreads</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/{{ author.goodreads }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-goodreads icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Goodreads</a></li>
       {% endif %}            
       {% if author.google_plus %}
-        <li><a href="https://plus.google.com/+{{ author.google_plus }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-google-plus-g" aria-hidden="true"></i> Google+</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://plus.google.com/+{{ author.google_plus }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-google-plus-g icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Google+</a></li>
       {% endif %}            
       {% if author.keybase %}
-        <li><a href="https://keybase.io/{{ author.keybase }}"><i class="fas fa-fw fa-key" aria-hidden="true"></i> Keybase</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://keybase.io/{{ author.keybase }}"><i class="fas fa-fw fa-key icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Keybase</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.instagram %}
-        <li><a href="https://instagram.com/{{ author.instagram }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-instagram" aria-hidden="true"></i> Instagram</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://instagram.com/{{ author.instagram }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-instagram icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Instagram</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.lastfm %}
-        <li><a href="https://lastfm.com/user/{{ author.lastfm }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-lastfm" aria-hidden="true"></i> Last.fm</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://lastfm.com/user/{{ author.lastfm }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-lastfm icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Last.fm</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.linkedin %}
-        <li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/{{ author.linkedin }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-linkedin" aria-hidden="true"></i> LinkedIn</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/{{ author.linkedin }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-linkedin icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>LinkedIn</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.mastodon %}
-        <li><a href="{{ author.mastodon }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-mastodon" aria-hidden="true"></i> Mastodon</a></li>
+        <li><a href="{{ author.mastodon }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-mastodon icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Mastodon</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.medium %}
-        <li><a href="{{ author.medium }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-medium" aria-hidden="true"></i> Medium</a></li>
+        <li><a href="{{ author.medium }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-medium icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Medium</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.pinterest %}
-        <li><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/{{ author.pinterest }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-pinterest" aria-hidden="true"></i> Pinterest</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/{{ author.pinterest }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-pinterest icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Pinterest</a></li>
       {% endif %}            
       {% if author.soundcloud %}
-        <li><a href="https://soundcloud.com/{{ author.soundcloud }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-soundcloud" aria-hidden="true"></i> Soundcloud</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://soundcloud.com/{{ author.soundcloud }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-soundcloud icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Soundcloud</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.steam %}
-        <li><a href="https://steamcommunity.com/id/{{ author.steam }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-steam" aria-hidden="true"></i> Steam</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://steamcommunity.com/id/{{ author.steam }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-steam icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Steam</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.telegram %}
-        <li><a href="{{ author.telegram }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-telegram" aria-hidden="true"></i> Telegram</a></li>
+        <li><a href="{{ author.telegram }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-telegram icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Telegram</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.tumblr %}
-        <li><a href="https://{{ author.tumblr }}.tumblr.com"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-tumblr" aria-hidden="true"></i> Tumblr</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://{{ author.tumblr }}.tumblr.com"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-tumblr icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Tumblr</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
       {% if author.twitter %}
-        <li><a href="https://twitter.com/{{ author.twitter }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-x-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i> X (formerly Twitter)</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://twitter.com/{{ author.twitter }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-x-twitter icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>X (formerly Twitter)</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.vine %}
-        <li><a href="https://vine.co/u/{{ author.vine }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-vine" aria-hidden="true"></i> Vine</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://vine.co/u/{{ author.vine }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-vine icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Vine</a></li>
       {% endif %}        
       {% if author.weibo %}
-        <li><a href="https://www.weibo.com/{{ author.weibo }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-weibo" aria-hidden="true"></i> Weibo</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://www.weibo.com/{{ author.weibo }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-weibo icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Weibo</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.wikipedia %}
-        <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:{{ author.wikipedia }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-wikipedia-w" aria-hidden="true"></i> Wikipedia</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:{{ author.wikipedia }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-wikipedia-w icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Wikipedia</a></li>
       {% endif %}                
       {% if author.xing %}
-        <li><a href="https://www.xing.com/profile/{{ author.xing }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-xing" aria-hidden="true"></i> XING</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://www.xing.com/profile/{{ author.xing }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-xing icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>XING</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.youtube %}
-        <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/{{ author.youtube }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-youtube" aria-hidden="true"></i> YouTube</a></li>
+        <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/{{ author.youtube }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-youtube icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>YouTube</a></li>
       {% endif %}
       {% if author.zhihu %}
-      <li><a href="{{ author.zhihu }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-zhihu" aria-hidden="true"></i> Zhihu</a></li>
+      <li><a href="{{ author.zhihu }}"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-zhihu icon-pad-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>Zhihu</a></li>
       {% endif %}      
     </ul>
   </div>
diff --git a/_sass/_utilities.scss b/_sass/_utilities.scss
index c5d9f5ed84e5e..60ff9b7a9398e 100644
--- a/_sass/_utilities.scss
+++ b/_sass/_utilities.scss
@@ -187,6 +187,11 @@ body:hover .visually-hidden button {
   vertical-align: middle;
 }
 
+/* Adjust this setting to control the space between an icon and text in the sidebar */
+.icon-pad-right {
+  padding-right: 0.5em;
+}
+
 /* social icons*/
 
 .social-icons {