Pace student presents AI medical imaging research at IEEE conference

Zender Aurelien-Nikolai has presented his research on machine learning and medical imaging at the 2026 IEEE International Conference on E-health Networking, Application & Services, also known as Healthcom. The Pace University student, who is set to graduate in 2028, shared his findings with a global audience of peers who focus on the intersection of computer science and healthcare.

Aurelien-Nikolai is currently working as a student research assistant under Professor Juan Shan, PhD. His work involves applying machine learning methods to medical images. He previously presented this same research at Pace’s Spring 2026 Undergraduate Research Day.

The student is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a minor in biology. He said his interest in combining these fields began after he earned an Emergency Medical Technician certification during his senior year of high school. Although he found that direct patient care was not his career path, that experience led him to seek ways to support healthcare through technology.

Aurelien-Nikolai is the founding president of the Pace chapter of ColorStack, an organization that supports Black and Hispanic/Latinx computer science students. He started the chapter because he noticed a lack of students who shared his background in his classes. Through the group, he has connected with professionals from companies including IBM and Microsoft.

In the spring of 2026, the ColorStack chapter organized a tour of Microsoft’s Times Square office for 15 students. The event was coordinated by Ángel Bahamon, the chapter’s secretary for that semester. During the visit, the students networked with Microsoft employees and learned about the company's hiring and interview processes.

Beyond his research and student leadership, Aurelien-Nikolai served as a data analyst intern at a startup called Fun Meets from the summer of 2025 until February 2026. He is also a member of the Student Advisory Committee, which proposes ideas to improve student retention at the university.

He plans to pursue a master’s degree in biomedical informatics after graduation. His goal is to build machine learning tools that improve diagnosis and patient care.