diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..628e253
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+name: test
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: ["**"]
+  pull_request:
+
+jobs:
+  unit:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.11"
+      - run: python -m pip install -e .
+      - run: python -m unittest discover -s tests -v
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..579aef4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+__pycache__/
+*.py[cod]
+.venv/
+*.egg-info/
+.pytest_cache/
+artifacts/
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7d279a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2026 bozarnr
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7e0114b..a0524b1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1 +1,55 @@
-# eee
\ No newline at end of file
+# AI Alpha Research Lab
+
+An auditable sandbox for formula-based alpha research. The project is designed
+to make a negative result useful: a candidate is promoted only when it survives
+time-safe evaluation, out-of-sample checks, and explicit trading frictions.
+
+中文简介：这是一个可审计的公式因子研究沙盒。它不把漂亮的样本内指标
+当成成果；候选公式必须通过时点安全、样本外、换手与成本门槛，才会被晋级。
+
+## What is included
+
+- A small allow-listed expression language (`rank`, `delta`, `mean`, arithmetic).
+- Point-in-time evaluation on a stock-date panel.
+- A strict promotion gate for OOS IC, turnover, and costs.
+- A deterministic synthetic-data demo that intentionally promotes no factor.
+- Regression tests for parsing, future-field rejection, and the rejection gate.
+
+## Quick start
+
+```bash
+python -m pip install -e .
+python -m ai_alpha_lab.demo
+python -m unittest discover -s tests -v
+```
+
+The demo is an engineering smoke test, not a backtest or investment result.
+
+## Evidence boundary
+
+The initial research record is deliberately conservative. A prior multi-source
+AutoAlpha-style study implemented the search and validation pipeline, but under
+the frozen executable protocol its final candidate count was zero. See
+[`evidence/validation-summary.md`](evidence/validation-summary.md) and
+[`research_state.json`](research_state.json).
+
+## Repository layout
+
+```text
+src/ai_alpha_lab/  public, dependency-light research core
+tests/             regression and safety checks
+evidence/          compact, human-readable evidence records
+research_state.json current claim ceiling and next reopening condition
+```
+
+## Non-goals
+
+- No private data, employer code, credentials, or proprietary research assets.
+- No claim that a high IC, this demo, or a successful run is tradable.
+- No automatic capital deployment.
+
+## Next research track
+
+The formula space used in the first record is closed. Reopen only with a
+pre-registered economic mechanism, genuinely independent data, a frozen
+baseline, and the same or stricter promotion gates.
diff --git a/evidence/validation-summary.md b/evidence/validation-summary.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e5bd285
--- /dev/null
+++ b/evidence/validation-summary.md
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Validation Summary: Initial Formula Search Record
+
+This public record summarizes a completed AutoAlpha-style research loop without
+publishing private data, employer code, credentials, or raw experiment outputs.
+
+## What was implemented
+
+- Allow-listed AST expression evaluation rather than `eval`.
+- Formula canonicalization, hashes, depth tracking, and search lineage.
+- Stratified search, diversity filtering, warm starts, and ablations.
+- Next-open execution timing, transaction costs, risk controls, turnover, and
+  frozen independent-test promotion gates.
+
+## What the evidence supports
+
+The pipeline can generate, evaluate, audit, and reject formula candidates. It
+does **not** support a claim that the tested price/volume/return formula space
+contains an online-ready alpha pool.
+
+## Strict result
+
+Across frozen transfers and a multi-source retest, the final candidate count
+was **0**. Discovery-stage signals concentrated in short-horizon amount and
+return transformations; they did not retain a positive cost-aware portfolio
+result after transfer.
+
+## Reopening rule
+
+Do not search the same closed formula space harder. Restart only with a
+pre-registered new mechanism or field, independent data, and a frozen protocol.
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85fbad0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+[build-system]
+requires = ["setuptools>=68"]
+build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
+
+[project]
+name = "ai-alpha-research-lab"
+version = "0.1.0"
+description = "Auditable formula-alpha research with strict promotion gates"
+requires-python = ">=3.10"
+dependencies = ["numpy>=1.24", "pandas>=2.0"]
+
+[tool.setuptools]
+package-dir = {"" = "src"}
+
+[tool.setuptools.packages.find]
+where = ["src"]
diff --git a/research_state.json b/research_state.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3dad909
--- /dev/null
+++ b/research_state.json
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+{
+  "project": "ai-alpha-research-lab",
+  "updated_at": "2026-07-30",
+  "claim_ceiling": "implemented",
+  "status": "closed_without_online_candidate_under_current_protocol",
+  "public_scope": "Clean-room educational implementation and compact research evidence only.",
+  "frozen_protocol": {
+    "signal_timing": "after close t",
+    "execution_timing": "next trading-day open",
+    "transaction_cost_bps": 30,
+    "independent_test_use": "promotion audit only"
+  },
+  "result": {
+    "final_candidate_count": 0,
+    "interpretation": "The validation system rejected unstable candidates; this is not a claim of tradable alpha."
+  },
+  "reopen_conditions": [
+    "Pre-register a new economic mechanism or tradable field.",
+    "Use data independent of all prior selection decisions.",
+    "Freeze the baseline, costs, universe, and promotion gate before search."
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/src/ai_alpha_lab/__init__.py b/src/ai_alpha_lab/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0049b14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ai_alpha_lab/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+"""Public, auditable building blocks for formula-alpha research."""
+
+from .expressions import FormulaError, evaluate_formula
+from .research import PromotionGate, evaluate_candidate
+
+__all__ = ["FormulaError", "PromotionGate", "evaluate_candidate", "evaluate_formula"]
diff --git a/src/ai_alpha_lab/demo.py b/src/ai_alpha_lab/demo.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6842542
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ai_alpha_lab/demo.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+"""Deterministic, synthetic smoke run. It must not be interpreted as a backtest."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+
+import numpy as np
+import pandas as pd
+
+from .research import PromotionGate, evaluate_candidate
+
+
+def synthetic_panel(seed: int = 7) -> pd.DataFrame:
+    rng = np.random.default_rng(seed)
+    dates = pd.bdate_range("2024-01-02", periods=90)
+    assets = [f"asset_{index:02d}" for index in range(24)]
+    index = pd.MultiIndex.from_product([dates, assets], names=["date", "asset"])
+    panel = index.to_frame(index=False)
+    noise = rng.normal(0, 0.015, len(panel))
+    panel["returns"] = noise
+    panel["close"] = 100 * (1 + panel["returns"]).groupby(panel["asset"]).cumprod()
+    panel["amount"] = rng.lognormal(mean=14, sigma=0.7, size=len(panel))
+    panel["forward_return"] = panel.groupby("asset")["returns"].shift(-1)
+    return panel.sort_values(["asset", "date"]).reset_index(drop=True)
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    panel = synthetic_panel()
+    result = evaluate_candidate(
+        "rank(delta(amount, 3)) - rank(mean(returns, 5))",
+        panel,
+        split_date="2024-03-15",
+        # A deliberately conservative gate prevents a noise-only smoke run
+        # from being presented as an investable discovery.
+        gate=PromotionGate(min_oos_rank_ic=0.05, max_turnover=0.60),
+    )
+    print(json.dumps(result, indent=2, ensure_ascii=False))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/src/ai_alpha_lab/expressions.py b/src/ai_alpha_lab/expressions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1bb0c40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ai_alpha_lab/expressions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+"""A tiny point-in-time formula language with no dynamic code execution."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import ast
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+
+import pandas as pd
+
+
+class FormulaError(ValueError):
+    """Raised when a candidate violates the public formula contract."""
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class FormulaContract:
+    allowed_fields: frozenset[str]
+    max_window: int = 60
+
+
+def _require_panel(frame: pd.DataFrame) -> None:
+    if not {"date", "asset"}.issubset(frame.columns):
+        raise FormulaError("panel requires date and asset columns")
+    if not frame.sort_values(["asset", "date"])[["asset", "date"]].equals(frame[["asset", "date"]]):
+        raise FormulaError("panel must be sorted by asset and date")
+
+
+def _cross_section_rank(series: pd.Series, frame: pd.DataFrame) -> pd.Series:
+    return series.groupby(frame["date"], sort=False).rank(pct=True)
+
+
+def _by_asset_rolling(series: pd.Series, frame: pd.DataFrame, window: int) -> pd.Series:
+    return series.groupby(frame["asset"], sort=False).transform(
+        lambda values: values.rolling(window=window, min_periods=window).mean()
+    )
+
+
+def _by_asset_delta(series: pd.Series, frame: pd.DataFrame, period: int) -> pd.Series:
+    return series.groupby(frame["asset"], sort=False).transform(lambda values: values.diff(period))
+
+
+def evaluate_formula(expression: str, frame: pd.DataFrame, contract: FormulaContract) -> pd.Series:
+    """Evaluate an allow-listed formula using only contemporaneous or past values."""
+    _require_panel(frame)
+    tree = ast.parse(expression, mode="eval")
+
+    def visit(node: ast.AST) -> pd.Series | int | float:
+        if isinstance(node, ast.Name):
+            if node.id not in contract.allowed_fields or node.id not in frame.columns:
+                raise FormulaError(f"field is not allowed: {node.id}")
+            if "future" in node.id.lower() or "label" in node.id.lower():
+                raise FormulaError(f"future-looking field is forbidden: {node.id}")
+            return frame[node.id].astype(float)
+        if isinstance(node, ast.Constant) and isinstance(node.value, (int, float)):
+            return node.value
+        if isinstance(node, ast.BinOp) and isinstance(node.op, (ast.Add, ast.Sub, ast.Mult, ast.Div)):
+            left, right = visit(node.left), visit(node.right)
+            if isinstance(node.op, ast.Add):
+                return left + right
+            if isinstance(node.op, ast.Sub):
+                return left - right
+            if isinstance(node.op, ast.Mult):
+                return left * right
+            return left / right.replace(0, float("nan")) if isinstance(right, pd.Series) else left / right
+        if isinstance(node, ast.UnaryOp) and isinstance(node.op, ast.USub):
+            return -visit(node.operand)
+        if isinstance(node, ast.Call) and isinstance(node.func, ast.Name):
+            args = [visit(argument) for argument in node.args]
+            if node.func.id == "rank" and len(args) == 1 and isinstance(args[0], pd.Series):
+                return _cross_section_rank(args[0], frame)
+            if node.func.id in {"delta", "mean"} and len(args) == 2 and isinstance(args[0], pd.Series):
+                period = args[1]
+                if not isinstance(period, int) or not 1 <= period <= contract.max_window:
+                    raise FormulaError("window must be an integer within the contract")
+                return _by_asset_delta(args[0], frame, period) if node.func.id == "delta" else _by_asset_rolling(args[0], frame, period)
+        raise FormulaError(f"unsupported formula syntax: {ast.dump(node, include_attributes=False)}")
+
+    result = visit(tree.body)
+    if not isinstance(result, pd.Series):
+        raise FormulaError("formula must evaluate to a series")
+    return result.replace([float("inf"), float("-inf")], float("nan"))
diff --git a/src/ai_alpha_lab/research.py b/src/ai_alpha_lab/research.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ab2298
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ai_alpha_lab/research.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+"""Strict candidate evaluation that separates diagnostics from promotion."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import asdict, dataclass
+
+import pandas as pd
+
+from .expressions import FormulaContract, evaluate_formula
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class PromotionGate:
+    min_oos_rank_ic: float = 0.02
+    min_oos_net_return: float = 0.0
+    max_turnover: float = 0.60
+    transaction_cost_bps: float = 30.0
+
+
+def _daily_rank_ic(panel: pd.DataFrame, signal: pd.Series) -> pd.Series:
+    data = panel.assign(signal=signal).dropna(subset=["signal", "forward_return"])
+    return data.groupby("date", sort=False).apply(
+        lambda group: group["signal"].rank().corr(group["forward_return"].rank()), include_groups=False
+    )
+
+
+def _portfolio_diagnostics(panel: pd.DataFrame, signal: pd.Series, cost_bps: float) -> pd.DataFrame:
+    """Calculate a simple top-quintile diagnostic with explicit turnover costs."""
+    ranked = panel.assign(signal=signal).groupby("date", sort=False)["signal"].rank(pct=True)
+    positions = (ranked >= 0.8).astype(float)
+    shifts = positions.groupby(panel["asset"], sort=False).shift(1).fillna(0.0)
+    daily_turnover = (positions - shifts).abs().groupby(panel["date"], sort=False).mean()
+    returns = panel.assign(position=positions).groupby("date", sort=False).apply(
+        lambda group: group.loc[group["position"] > 0, "forward_return"].mean(),
+        include_groups=False,
+    )
+    diagnostics = pd.DataFrame({"turnover": daily_turnover, "gross_return": returns})
+    diagnostics["net_return"] = diagnostics["gross_return"] - diagnostics["turnover"] * cost_bps / 10_000
+    return diagnostics
+
+
+def evaluate_candidate(expression: str, panel: pd.DataFrame, split_date: str, gate: PromotionGate) -> dict:
+    """Return diagnostics and promotion status; never optimize against test results."""
+    contract = FormulaContract(frozenset({"close", "amount", "returns"}))
+    signal = evaluate_formula(expression, panel, contract)
+    rank_ic = _daily_rank_ic(panel, signal)
+    oos = rank_ic.loc[rank_ic.index >= pd.Timestamp(split_date)]
+    portfolio = _portfolio_diagnostics(panel, signal, gate.transaction_cost_bps)
+    oos_portfolio = portfolio.loc[portfolio.index >= pd.Timestamp(split_date)]
+    mean_oos_ic = float(oos.mean()) if not oos.empty else float("nan")
+    turnover = float(oos_portfolio["turnover"].mean())
+    gross_return = float(oos_portfolio["gross_return"].mean())
+    net_return = float(oos_portfolio["net_return"].mean())
+    promoted = bool(
+        mean_oos_ic >= gate.min_oos_rank_ic
+        and turnover <= gate.max_turnover
+        and net_return >= gate.min_oos_net_return
+    )
+    return {
+        "formula": expression,
+        "oos_rank_ic": round(mean_oos_ic, 6),
+        "oos_gross_return": round(gross_return, 6),
+        "oos_net_return": round(net_return, 6),
+        "turnover": round(turnover, 6),
+        "transaction_cost_bps": gate.transaction_cost_bps,
+        "promoted": promoted,
+        "reason": "passed frozen promotion gate" if promoted else "rejected by frozen OOS IC, turnover, or net-return gate",
+        "gate": asdict(gate),
+    }
diff --git a/tests/test_research.py b/tests/test_research.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a34327e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_research.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import unittest
+
+from ai_alpha_lab.demo import synthetic_panel
+from ai_alpha_lab.expressions import FormulaContract, FormulaError, evaluate_formula
+from ai_alpha_lab.research import PromotionGate, evaluate_candidate
+
+
+class FormulaSafetyTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.panel = synthetic_panel()
+        self.contract = FormulaContract(frozenset({"close", "amount", "returns"}))
+
+    def test_formula_uses_past_data_only(self):
+        output = evaluate_formula("rank(delta(amount, 3))", self.panel, self.contract)
+        self.assertEqual(len(output), len(self.panel))
+        self.assertTrue(output.isna().any())
+
+    def test_future_field_is_rejected(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(FormulaError):
+            evaluate_formula("forward_return", self.panel, self.contract)
+
+    def test_unsorted_panel_is_rejected(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(FormulaError):
+            evaluate_formula("rank(amount)", self.panel.sample(frac=1, random_state=1), self.contract)
+
+    def test_demo_candidate_is_not_promoted(self):
+        result = evaluate_candidate(
+            "rank(delta(amount, 3)) - rank(mean(returns, 5))",
+            self.panel,
+            split_date="2024-03-15",
+            gate=PromotionGate(min_oos_rank_ic=0.05, max_turnover=0.60),
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(result["promoted"])
+
+    def test_costs_reduce_reported_net_return(self):
+        result = evaluate_candidate(
+            "rank(delta(amount, 3))",
+            self.panel,
+            split_date="2024-03-15",
+            gate=PromotionGate(transaction_cost_bps=30),
+        )
+        self.assertLessEqual(result["oos_net_return"], result["oos_gross_return"])
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()