Generating Research Ideas as a First Year PhD Student

Sat Dec 20 2025 16:00:00 GMT-0800 (Pacific Standard Time)

My experience so far is something like:

I have a brilliant idea! -> someone has already done it

I have a brilliant idea! -> someone has already done the cool part of it

I have a brilliant idea! -> actually the idea is useless and doesn't move any needle in any interesting way

I asked gemini to make an xkcd comic illustrating this anguish and think it did a pretty good job honestly:

xkcd
You get it, Gemini

Here's to blind hope that there are still brilliant ideas left to be uncovered 🥂