Init Institute vault: .gitignore, README, TEAM roster, decision log

.gitignore

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+# The Institute vault — what never enters git.
+# Rule: git tracks knowledge + code; heavy binaries live on disk and back up separately.
+# (Git LFS for scientific data — OpenSim meshes, checkpoints — is a later option.)
+
+# --- Python ---
+__pycache__/
+*.py[cod]
+*.egg-info/
+.venv/
+venv/
+.pytest_cache/
+*.so
+
+# --- Scientific / engineering binaries ---
+*.vtu
+*.vtp
+*.stl
+*.obj
+*.osim            # large OpenSim models; force-add small canonical ones with `git add -f`
+*.pt
+*.pth
+*.ckpt
+*.onnx
+*.npz
+*.h5
+*.hdf5
+
+# --- Media / renders (generated) ---
+*.mp4
+*.gif
+*.mov
+*.png             # generated renders; force-add canonical figures explicitly
+*.jpg
+*.jpeg
+*.tiff
+
+# --- LaTeX / build outputs (commit final manuscripts explicitly) ---
+build/
+dist/
+*.log
+*.aux
+*.out
+*.toc
+*.bbl
+*.blg
+*.synctex.gz
+*.fdb_latexmk
+*.fls
+*.pdf
+
+# --- OS / editor noise ---
+.DS_Store
+Thumbs.db
+*.swp
+.obsidian/workspace.json
+.obsidian/workspace-mobile.json
+
+# --- Local secrets ---
+.env
+*.local

README.md

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+# The Institute — Shared Vault
+
+Shared knowledge base for Elliot's agent team ("The Institute"). Organized by
+**life-domain, not by worker**: agents are workers on shared projects, so folders
+reflect the domain of the work (PhD, fitness, nutrition…), not who did it.
+
+## Layout (canonical)
+
+```
+00_Inbox/        capture — everything lands here first, then gets filed
+10_System/       dashboards, templates, design systems, branding assets
+20_Schedule/     daily notes, time management
+30_PhD/          the thesis (see subfolders below)
+40_Personal/     Aesthetics / Fitness / Nutrition
+
+30_PhD/
+  01_Workbench/    data (raw/processed), notes, scripts
+  02_Deliverables/ presentations, reports, papers
+  03_Meetings/
+  04_Logistics/    inbox / processed / archive
+  05_Literature/   inbox / processed / archive   ← Clara
+  06_Projects/     code repos                    ← Dexter
+```
+
+## Editing discipline (why there's no merge chaos)
+
+1. **Pull before you work, commit often, push after.** Small commits, scoped messages.
+2. **Read-only on files you don't own.** Agents read Elliot's personal files and plan docs; they never rewrite them.
+3. **Hand off via `00_Inbox/` notes or Kanban comments**, not by editing another agent's in-progress draft in place.
+4. **Binaries are not versioned** (see `.gitignore`) — meshes, checkpoints, renders live on disk and back up separately.
+
+## Meta-files (owned by Eleanor / the Institute, not domain content)
+
+- `TEAM.md` — roster + who owns what.
+- `README.md` — this file.
+- `.gitignore` — what never enters git.
+- `_institute/` — team-wide decision log, handoff notes, runbooks.
+
+## Backups
+
+The vault is a git repo: `git clone` / `git bundle` is a full export at any time.
+A scheduled backup snapshot will be added.

TEAM.md

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+# The Institute — Team Roster
+
+Elliot's multi-agent team. Each member is a Hermes profile; they coordinate
+through this vault and the Kanban board. Defer to the named owner for questions
+in their domain.
+
+| Call sign | Profile | Role | Owns (vault) |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| Eleanor | `eleanor` | Chief of Staff / orchestrator | `10_System`, `20_Schedule`, oversight, backlog |
+| Quill | `quill` | Technical PM / milestones (planned) | `20_Schedule`, `Master_PhD_Plan` |
+| Clara | `clara` | Senior Research Scientist | `30_PhD/05_Literature` |
+| Dexter | `dexter` | Lead Systems & Soft Robotics Engineer | `30_PhD/06_Projects`, `30_PhD/01_Workbench/Scripts` |
+| Doc | `doc` | Academic Mentor & Career Strategist | `30_PhD` narrative + roadmap |
+| Otis | `otis` | Physical Performance (planned) | `40_Personal/Fitness` |
+| Clover | `clover` | Executive Dietitian (planned) | `40_Personal/Nutrition` |
+| Coco | `coco` | Wardrobe Stylist (planned) | `40_Personal/Aesthetics` |
+
+## Handoff rules
+
+- Anything crossing domains opens a thread in `00_Inbox/` or a Kanban card.
+- Route: engineering → Dexter · literature → Clara · narrative/career → Doc ·
+  ops/scheduling → Eleanor · physical → Otis · nutrition → Clover · wardrobe → Coco.
+- Never edit another agent's in-progress draft in place — comment or drop an inbox note instead.

_institute/decision-log.md

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+# Institute Decision Log
+
+Timestamped decisions about the team, vault structure, and coordination.
+
+## 2026-09-07 — Pilot foundation
+
+- Pilot cohort: Clara (research), Dexter (engineer), Doc (mentor); scale to 8 after the loop is proven.
+- Vault organized by life-domain, not worker. Agents are workers on shared projects.
+- Binaries (meshes, checkpoints, renders) are gitignored; git tracks knowledge + code.
+- Oversight = Eleanor + the Kanban board; no separate HR meta-agent.
+- Surface = WebUI avatar chips; Forgejo (Phase B) = remote sync + web view + backup; git over SSH.