My Journey So Far

Feedback: By Rakib Ullah, CSE, Sylhet Engineering College I’ve been with the Safenet AI Research Group Since Nov 2024, and I’d like to share some feedback based on my experience so far: About Me: --------- I’m currently working on a content moderation project focusing on Bengali and code-mixed Bengali-English memes. It’s in its final stage. Through this, I learned how to work with APIs, collect and handle multimodal data, and work on a multimodal research pipeline—something I had no prior experience in. My biggest growth has been learning how to curate datasets, something I had never done before. Additionally, I’ve improved at conducting literature reviews using AI tools, thinking through and pitching research proposals, and understanding how research is conceptualized and executed from scratch. The GOOD -------- *The group gives first authorship to students, which is rare in many research environments(University where most of the cases teacher or senior's gets the first authorship even if it's your work by all means) *The chance to work with professors from abroad is a major strength. I have seen they have added students with professors in Finland for their handpick projects. *Being able to participate in research from the ideation stage which is practiced here is extremely valuable REALLY. It helps young researchers like me figure out if this is the right career path and build foundational skills. *I appreciate the collaborative atmosphere, where people who are committed stay and contribute meaningfully, while others transition out without friction. This keeps the team productive and focused.(Recently it got real after a change of policy. I really appreciate it.) *Having active and enthusiastic supervisors makes a big difference. It creates a motivating environment, unlike traditional academic settings where professors may be less engaged. The BAD: -------- *One challenge in a remote-first environment like this is collaborating effectively with research partners. Since this is a foundational group where many freshers come to explore research, finding dedicated collaborators can be tough. I have experienced it first-hand. My Suggestions -------------- *Increasing the involvement of professors/Experienced Researchers/Research Lab could further elevate the quality of their projects and can help them go to the next level. *A clear and structured hierarchy with university professors/Industry Professionals/Experienced Researchers at the top would help in streamlining decision-making and ensuring accountability across projects. *The group is growing rapidly which is good, but in my opinion, the focus should be on starting small and producing high-quality, publishable research before expanding further. *It would be really great to have regular workshops or talks from professors/professionals on current research trends. ++ This Group has real potential and I really like to see this group becoming a strong research hub through deeper collaboration with professors and Researchers. ++ -------------------------------------- I’ll continue updating my feedback as I progress with my work and experience more aspects of the group. ---------------------------------------

Submitted by: RakibUllah

Submitted on: Apr 28, 2025