A Day That Felt Different
Most of the time doing research is spent behind screens, writing code, running experiments, and discussing ideas through online meetings.
For months, our collaboration existed mainly in shared documents and video calls.
Today, we felt different because we finally met in person.
How Our Research Journey Began
Our journey began thanks to the guidance and support of our lab supervisor, Prof. Quan Thanh Tho. Through his introduction, our team was given the opportunity to join an ongoing research project led by Prof. Soundararajan Ezekiel (Prof. Raj), a professor from Indiana University of Pennsylvania
The project had already been initiated by Prof. Raj and focuses on applying Artificial Intelligence in agriculture, particularly in supporting crop disease detection. After being introduced to the project, our team officially joined and started contributing to this research direction.
Working on AI for Agriculture
Over the past few months, we have been working together across countries and time zones — experimenting with different AI models, testing assumptions, and learning how machine learning techniques can be adapted to real-world agricultural challenges.
At this stage, the research remains highly experimental. We are still exploring multiple approaches, comparing results, and trying to understand the limitations of both our data and models. Progress is not always increase, but the process itself has been a valuable learning experience for everyone involved.
Meeting Our Collaborator in Person
Today marked a special milestone in this collaboration.
Prof. Raj is currently visiting Vietnam, and he took the time to visit our team in person. After months of online meetings, shared documents, and virtual discussions, finally meeting face to face felt both exciting and surprisingly familiar. The atmosphere was warm, open, and full of positive energy.
During the sharing session, Prof. Raj discussed our current progress and exchanged ideas with us about the future direction of the project. Beyond technical matters, he also shared stories from his own research journey.
One particular moment left a deep impression on the entire team. He quoted:
“If we knew what we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?”
That sentence resonated strongly with all of us.
In AI research, especially when applied to complex real-world domains like agriculture, uncertainty is unavoidable. Models fail. Data is imperfect. Results are often unexpected. In that moment, the quote felt like a quiet reassurance: not knowing is not a weakness, but a fundamental part of research.
It reminded us that confusion, trial and error, and even failure are signs that we are genuinely exploring something new.
A Simple Lunch, A Stronger Connection
At noon, our team had the chance to go out for lunch together with both professors. It was a simple yet joyful moment, filled with laughter, casual conversations, and stories that went far beyond research papers and experiments.
That lunch helped strengthen the sense of connection within the team, across cultures, generations, and academic backgrounds.
Gratitude and Reflection
Looking back, today was more than just a visit.
We are deeply grateful to Prof. Raj for his time, insights, and inspiration. Most importantly, we would like to sincerely thank Prof. Quan Thanh Tho, whose support and guidance truly made everything happen, from initiating the collaboration to creating this meaningful opportunity for our team.
