How can a student from a Tier-3 university get into AI/ML research and publish papers? [R]

Hi everyone!

I have just completed my 2nd year of BS Computer Science and my long-term goal is to pursue an MS/PhD in CS/AI/ML abroad (USA, Canada, Europe, or Australia).

To strengthen my profile, I want to get involved in AI/ML research and hopefully publish a research paper during my undergraduate studies. I recently started learning Machine Learning and plan to build a strong foundation first.

The challenge is that I'm from a Tier-3 university and unfortunately we don't have any research labs, active research groups, or professors working in AI/ML research. Because of this, I'm not sure how to take my first steps into research.

I would appreciate advice from students, researchers, or professionals who have been in a similar situation:

• How did you get started in AI/ML research?
• How can an undergraduate student find research opportunities without a research lab at their university?
• Is it realistic to publish a paper independently or through remote collaboration?
• What skills should I focus on first (math, ML, programming, reading papers, etc.)?
• Are there any communities, programs, or platforms where students can connect with researchers?

Any guidance, personal experiences, or roadmaps would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!