What problem does it solve? Early-stage PhD students and prospective applicants often struggle to find viable research ideas, structure their first year, and build sustainable research habits without a proven framework. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Research Idea Evaluation: Assesses topics against longevity, passion, practical application, and uniqueness criteria, with a 3-paper roadmap plan. - Year 1 Survival Checklist: Walks through 10 essential activities including seminars, paper reading quotas, mentorship, and engineering skill development with concrete KPIs. - PhD Decision Guidance: Provides self-assessment questions, common mistakes to avoid, and a four-year undergraduate preparation plan for PhD applications. - Use Case: A first-year PhD student in systems research asks for a personalized Year 1 plan and receives a 10-activity checklist with seminar targets, reading KPIs, and a mentor-finding strategy. ## Quick Start Ask the assistant to evaluate your research idea or build a Year 1 PhD plan for your research area using the openbs-idea skill.
