diff --git a/src/cljs/ulysses/components/word_cloud.cljs b/src/cljs/ulysses/components/word_cloud.cljs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d55e1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cljs/ulysses/components/word_cloud.cljs
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+(ns ulysses.components.word-cloud
+  (:require [ulysses.utils :refer [map-subels]]))
+
+;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+;; helpers
+;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+(defn normalize [keywords]
+  (let [scores (map (fn [k] (get-in k [:pivot :score])) keywords)
+        s-min (or (apply min scores) 0)
+        s-max (or (apply max scores) 100)
+        denom (- s-max s-min)]
+    (map
+      (fn [kw]
+        (assoc kw :nscore
+          (/ (- (get-in kw [:pivot :score]) s-min)
+             denom)))
+      keywords)))
+
+(defn normalize-sort-take [n keywords]
+  (->> keywords
+       (normalize)
+       (sort-by :nscore)
+       (reverse)
+       (take n)))
+
+;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+;; sub-components
+;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+(defn word-cloud-keyword [{:keys [name nscore]}]
+  [:a.keyword {:class (str "weight-" (Math/round (* 100 nscore)))} name])
+
+;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+;; main
+;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+(defn word-cloud [n keywords]
+  [:div.word-cloud
+    (map-subels word-cloud-keyword (normalize-sort-take n keywords))])
diff --git a/src/cljs/ulysses/db.cljs b/src/cljs/ulysses/db.cljs
index 038cee7..aadebb2 100644
--- a/src/cljs/ulysses/db.cljs
+++ b/src/cljs/ulysses/db.cljs
@@ -75,9 +75,5 @@
    :builder-filters {:faculty-title-set ["director"]
                      :faculty-years-uconn 0}
 
-   ;; -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-   ;; interface
-   ;; -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-   ; example
-   :example nil})
+   ; user workspace-faculty hover (id)
+   :builder-faculties-workspace-hover nil})
diff --git a/src/cljs/ulysses/handlers.cljs b/src/cljs/ulysses/handlers.cljs
index 582df38..b51f261 100644
--- a/src/cljs/ulysses/handlers.cljs
+++ b/src/cljs/ulysses/handlers.cljs
@@ -259,3 +259,17 @@
     (dispatch [:request-faculties-pool])
     (assoc-in db [:builder-filters :faculty-years-uconn]
       (or (str->int years-uconn) 0))))
+
+;; builder faculty workspace hover
+
+(register-handler
+  :builder-faculties-workspace-hover
+  (fn [db [_ faculty-id]]
+    (assoc db :builder-faculties-workspace-hover
+      faculty-id)))
+
+(register-handler
+  :nil-builder-faculties-workspace-hover
+  (fn [db _]
+    (assoc db :builder-faculties-workspace-hover
+      nil)))
diff --git a/src/cljs/ulysses/pages/builder.cljs b/src/cljs/ulysses/pages/builder.cljs
index 14ca4fb..f4b4ddb 100644
--- a/src/cljs/ulysses/pages/builder.cljs
+++ b/src/cljs/ulysses/pages/builder.cljs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 (ns ulysses.pages.builder
   (:require [re-frame.core :as re-frame :refer [subscribe dispatch]]
             [ulysses.components.basic :refer [hink link loading-or-no-results fa]]
+            [ulysses.components.word-cloud :refer [word-cloud]]
             [ulysses.utils :refer [map-subels map-lookup str->int]]
             [reagent.core :as r]
             [clojure.string :as string]
@@ -68,6 +69,8 @@
 (defn workspace-row [faculty]
   (let [{:keys [id name title year_hired]} faculty]
     [:tr.faculty-row
+      {:on-mouse-over #(dispatch [:builder-faculties-workspace-hover id])
+       :on-mouse-leave #(dispatch [:nil-builder-faculties-workspace-hover])}
       [:td.first-col
         [hink
           (partial dispatch [:remove-working-faculty id])
@@ -79,7 +82,9 @@
 
 (defn workspace [faculties]
   (if (empty? faculties)
-    [loading-or-no-results]
+    [loading-or-no-results
+      :not-found-message
+      "Your workspace is empty. Add faculty from the pool to the right."]
     [:div.faculties-pool.table-responsive
       [:table.table.table-striped.table-bordered.table-sm
         [:thead
@@ -117,6 +122,7 @@
 (defn builder-panel
   [grant faculties faculty-titles
    faculties-pool faculties-workspace
+   faculties-workspace-hover
    builder-filters]
   [:div.builder-panel
     [sidebar faculty-titles builder-filters]
@@ -126,7 +132,9 @@
           [:h3 "Working Team"]
           [workspace (map-lookup faculties faculties-workspace)]]
         [:div.inner
-          [:h3 "Word Cloud"]]]
+          [:h3 "Word Cloud"]
+          (when faculties-workspace-hover
+            [word-cloud 20 (:keywords faculties-workspace-hover)])]]
       [:div.builder-panel-half-section
         [:div.inner
           [:h3 "Results"]
@@ -142,6 +150,7 @@
         faculty-titles (subscribe [:faculty-titles])
         faculties-pool (subscribe [:builder-faculties-pool])
         faculties-workspace (subscribe [:builder-faculties-workspace])
+        faculties-workspace-hover (subscribe [:builder-faculties-workspace-hover])
         last-id (atom nil)]
     (r/create-class
       {:component-will-mount
@@ -171,12 +180,13 @@
               ft @faculty-titles
               fp @faculties-pool
               fw @faculties-workspace
+              fh @faculties-workspace-hover
               bf @builder-filters
               _  @page-with-args]
           (if op
             [:div
               [:h3.text-xs-center.mb-15 (:title op)]
-              [:div [builder-panel op fa ft fp fw bf]]]
+              [:div [builder-panel op fa ft fp fw fh bf]]]
             [loading-or-no-results
               :not-found-message
               "The requested grant opportunity was not found."])))})))
diff --git a/src/cljs/ulysses/pages/profile.cljs b/src/cljs/ulysses/pages/profile.cljs
index a8283e5..36009ba 100644
--- a/src/cljs/ulysses/pages/profile.cljs
+++ b/src/cljs/ulysses/pages/profile.cljs
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 (ns ulysses.pages.profile
   (:require [re-frame.core :as re-frame :refer [subscribe dispatch]]
             [ulysses.routes :as routes]
-            [ulysses.utils :refer [map-subels str->int normalize-keyword-scores]]
+            [ulysses.utils :refer [str->int]]
             [ulysses.components.basic :refer [label loading-or-no-results]]
+            [ulysses.components.word-cloud :refer [word-cloud]]
             [reagent.core :as r]))
 
 ;; helpers -----------------------------------------
@@ -12,14 +13,6 @@
 
 ;; helper sub-components ---------------------------
 
-(defn word-cloud-keyword [{:keys [name nscore]}]
-  [:a.keyword {:class (str "weight-" (Math/round (* 100 nscore)))} name])
-
-(defn word-cloud [keywords]
-  (let [norm (->> keywords normalize-keyword-scores (sort-by :nscore) reverse (take 50))]
-    [:div.word-cloud
-      (map-subels word-cloud-keyword norm)]))
-
 (defn profile [{:keys [name title department year_hired keywords] :as faculty}]
   [:div.container
     [:div.row
@@ -31,7 +24,7 @@
           [label :default department]
           " "
           [label :default "hired in " year_hired]]
-        [word-cloud keywords]]]])
+        [word-cloud 50 keywords]]]])
 
 ;; main --------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/src/cljs/ulysses/subs.cljs b/src/cljs/ulysses/subs.cljs
index 4af143a..fd96e2b 100644
--- a/src/cljs/ulysses/subs.cljs
+++ b/src/cljs/ulysses/subs.cljs
@@ -97,3 +97,15 @@
   :builder-filters
   (fn [db _]
     (reaction (:builder-filters @db))))
+
+;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+;; derived data
+;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+(register-sub
+  :builder-faculties-workspace-hover
+  (fn [db _]
+    (reaction
+      (let [{:keys [faculties builder-faculties-workspace-hover db]} @db]
+        (when builder-faculties-workspace-hover
+          (get faculties builder-faculties-workspace-hover))))))
diff --git a/src/cljs/ulysses/utils.cljs b/src/cljs/ulysses/utils.cljs
index bb7fdbd..f209df9 100644
--- a/src/cljs/ulysses/utils.cljs
+++ b/src/cljs/ulysses/utils.cljs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   (:require [clojure.string :as string]
             [clojure.walk :refer [keywordize-keys]]
             [clojure.set :refer [rename-keys]]
-            [cljs.core.async :refer [chan put! <! timeout sliding-buffer]]
+            [cljs.core.async :refer [chan put! <! close! timeout sliding-buffer]]
             [re-frame.core :as re-frame :refer [dispatch]]
             [ulysses.config :as config]
             [ulysses.lib.moment :as m]
@@ -309,19 +309,6 @@
   [grant-ops]
   (map clean-incoming-grant-op grant-ops))
 
-(defn normalize-keyword-scores [keywords]
-  (let [scores (map (fn [k] (get-in k [:pivot :score])) keywords)
-        s-min (or (apply min scores) 0)
-        s-max (or (apply max scores) 100)
-        denom (- s-max s-min)]
-    (map
-      (fn [kw]
-        (assoc kw :nscore
-          (/ (- (get-in kw [:pivot :score]) s-min)
-             denom)))
-      keywords)))
-
-
 ;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ;; requests
 ;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------