Readme badges and cleanup

readme.md

@@ -1,54 +1,68 @@
 # Computational Physics @ GT Group Documentation
 
-* [Welcome to the group!](group-syllabus/intro-to-group.md) 
+[![License: CC BY-NC 4.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-CC%20BY--NC%204.0-lightgrey.svg)](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)
+[![Georgia Tech](https://img.shields.io/badge/Georgia%20Tech-Computational%20Physics-b3a369)](https://comp-physics.group)
+[![PRs Welcome](https://img.shields.io/badge/PRs-welcome-brightgreen.svg)](CONTRIBUTING.md)
 
-## Syllabus
+Welcome to the Computational Physics @ GT Group Documentation! This repository contains guidelines, expectations, and resources for group members.
 
-* [Why a Ph.D.?](group-syllabus/why-phd.md)
-* [Funding](group-syllabus/funding.md)
-* [Working with me](group-syllabus/working-with-me.md)
-* [Doing research](group-syllabus/doing-research.md)
-* [Publishing](group-syllabus/publishing.md)
-* [When and where of working](group-syllabus/when-where-working.md)
-* [Going to conferences](group-syllabus/going-to-conferences.md)
-* [Giving talks](group-syllabus/giving-talks.md)
-* [Challenges](group-syllabus/challenges.md)
+## 📚 Quick Navigation
 
-## Papers and Writing
+- [Welcome to the group!](group-syllabus/intro-to-group.md)
+- [FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions](group-syllabus/faq.md)
+- [Research Process Diagrams](group-syllabus/research-process.md)
+- [PhD Timeline & Milestones](group-syllabus/phd-timeline.md)
 
-* [Academic writing](group-syllabus/improving-your-writing.md)
-* [Formatting your documents](group-syllabus/formatting.md)
-* [Making figures](group-syllabus/figures.md)
-* [Responding to reviewers](group-syllabus/responding-to-reviewers.md)
+## 🎓 Syllabus
 
-## Details
+| Topic | Description |
+|-------|-------------|
+| [Why a Ph.D.?](group-syllabus/why-phd.md) | Understanding the purpose and value of doctoral studies |
+| [Funding](group-syllabus/funding.md) | Information about funding sources and expectations |
+| [Working with me](group-syllabus/working-with-me.md) | Expectations and guidelines for advisor-student relationship |
+| [Doing research](group-syllabus/doing-research.md) | Approaches to computational physics research |
+| [Publishing](group-syllabus/publishing.md) | Guidelines for academic publishing |
+| [When and where of working](group-syllabus/when-where-working.md) | Expectations about work schedule and location |
+| [Going to conferences](group-syllabus/going-to-conferences.md) | How to prepare for and attend academic conferences |
+| [Giving talks](group-syllabus/giving-talks.md) | Guidelines for effective research presentations |
+| [Challenges](group-syllabus/challenges.md) | Common challenges and how to address them |
 
-* [Undergraduate specifics](group-syllabus/undergraduate-specifics.md)
-* [Available computers](group-syllabus/computers.md)
-* [Whose hardware is this, anyway?](group-syllabus/hardware.md)
+## ✍️ Papers and Writing
 
-## Resources
+| Resource | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| [Academic writing](group-syllabus/improving-your-writing.md) | Improving your scientific writing skills |
+| [Formatting your documents](group-syllabus/formatting.md) | Standards for document formatting |
+| [Making figures](group-syllabus/figures.md) | Creating effective scientific figures |
+| [Responding to reviewers](group-syllabus/responding-to-reviewers.md) | How to handle peer review feedback |
 
-* [FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions](group-syllabus/faq.md)
+## 💻 Details
 
-## Templates
+| Resource | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| [Undergraduate specifics](group-syllabus/undergraduate-specifics.md) | Information specific to undergraduate researchers |
+| [Available computers](group-syllabus/computers.md) | Computing resources available to group members |
+| [Whose hardware is this, anyway?](group-syllabus/hardware.md) | Hardware ownership and policies |
 
-* [For papers](templates/paper)
-* [For responses to paper reviews](templates/paper_rebuttal)
-* [For figures](templates/paper/figures)
-* [For talks](templates/talks)
+## 📝 Templates
 
-## Contributing
+| Template | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| [For papers](templates/paper) | Templates for academic papers |
+| [For responses to paper reviews](templates/paper_rebuttal) | Templates for responding to reviewers |
+| [For figures](templates/paper/figures) | Templates for creating figures |
+| [For talks](templates/talks) | Templates for presentations |
 
-This repository is designed to be collaborative.
-Current and former students are encouraged to contribute improvements, corrections, and additions based on their experiences.
+## 🤝 Contributing
+
+This repository is designed to be collaborative. Current and former students are encouraged to contribute improvements, corrections, and additions based on their experiences.
 
 See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for guidelines on how to suggest changes or add content.
 
-## Acknowledgements
+## 👏 Acknowledgements
 
 Parts of this are borrowed, heavily edited, from the Ph.D. syllabi of [Eric Gilbert](https://docs.google.com/document/d/11D3kHElzS2HQxTwPqcaTnU5HCJ8WGE5brTXI4KLf4dM) and Mor Maaman.
 
-## License
+## 📄 License
 
-CC BY-NC 4.0
+[CC BY-NC 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International