Muhlenberg athletes are spending the summer of 2026 enjoying fantastic experiences on campus, in their hometowns, across the country, and even around the world.

Rising senior wrestler Zach Cohen stayed on campus and participated in two research projects, one in computer vision and artificial intelligence and the other in organic chemistry, and found that every setback is an opportunity to learn something new.

Spending the summer on campus has given me the opportunity to pursue two very different research projects that have challenged me in completely different ways.

During the first half of the summer, I worked with Dr. Youngsun Jang on computer vision and artificial intelligence research. During the second half, I transitioned to Dr. Ian MacKenzie's organic chemistry laboratory, where I have been synthesizing novel pyrylium photocatalysts. Although the projects are in very different fields, both have strengthened my problem-solving skills and allowed me to explore areas of science that I genuinely enjoy.

My work with Dr. Jang focused on developing an artificial intelligence model that can more accurately identify flooded regions in satellite imagery. Our research combines two different types of AI architectures – a U-Net convolutional neural network and a graph neural network – to improve image segmentation. By dividing an image into "superpixels" and allowing the model to share information between neighboring regions before making its final predictions, we hope to improve the accuracy of computer vision systems.

While the technical details can become complex, the broader goal is straightforward: exploring whether combining multiple AI approaches can outperform either model on its own. Seeing the model progress from lines of code to successfully analyzing real satellite images was one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.

During the second half of the summer, I have been synthesizing and characterizing novel pyrylium photocatalysts for future synthetic applications. My work involves carrying out multi-step syntheses, purifying reaction products, and analyzing them using techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. It's a completely different style of research than programming, but I enjoy the hands-on nature of the laboratory and the opportunity to create molecules that have not been extensively explored in the scientific literature.

I chose to continue both research projects over the summer because I had begun each of them during the academic year and wanted to build on the progress we had already made. More importantly, I enjoy the process of solving difficult problems. Whether that means debugging an AI model after hours of testing or troubleshooting a reaction that doesn't produce the expected result, research has taught me that meaningful progress rarely comes on the first attempt.

Every setback becomes an opportunity to learn something new, and that mindset has become one of my favorite parts of doing research.

As a pre-dental student, these experiences have also prepared me for my future career. Research has strengthened my analytical thinking, attention to detail, and persistence – qualities that are just as valuable in healthcare as they are in the laboratory.

I am especially grateful to Dr. Jang and Dr. MacKenzie for the opportunity to contribute to their research and for their mentorship throughout the process. My coursework at Muhlenberg, particularly in mathematics, computer science, and organic chemistry, provided the foundation that allowed me to step into both projects with confidence and continue learning throughout the summer.