{"id":572,"date":"2024-05-01T09:44:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-01T13:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/bme\/?p=572"},"modified":"2025-07-28T17:03:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T21:03:21","slug":"a-smart-internship-experience-with-jasmine-conner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/bme\/news\/a-smart-internship-experience-with-jasmine-conner\/","title":{"rendered":"A SMaRT Internship Experience with Jasmine Conner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During Jasmine Conner\u2019s internship with the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/studentsuccess.utk.edu\/urf\/getting-started\/find-opportunities\/smart-internship-program\/\">Student Mentoring and Research Training<\/a>&nbsp;(SMaRT) program, she learned how the world of robots is growing and being used in various ways, especially when it comes to the medical field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRobots can be used to assist with different tests from patient samples and help with reading results,\u201d Conner said. \u201cRobots have also helped perform surgeries. I found out when my dad had his surgery last month that a robot did his surgery. I thought, and still do think, that was cool.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many of the University of Tennessee\u2019s faculty work with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and contribute to the world-class research being done there. The SMaRT program seeks to further promote research and utilize UT\u2019s partnership with ORNL by funding multiple paid 10-week undergraduate internships that focus on ORNL-related research with a UT faculty member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Conner is currently a student at Mississippi State University. She is working towards obtaining her bachelor\u2019s degree in biological sciences and medical technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Conner was advised by UT professor&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/mabe.utk.edu\/people\/tony-schmitz\/\">Tony Schmitz<\/a>&nbsp;throughout her SMaRT internship. \u201cI mentored Ms. Conner during the summer of 2023. I served as faculty coach for a team composed of three students,\u201d Schmitz said. \u201cI challenged the team to program a six degree of freedom robot for manufacturing-related activities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/bme\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/07\/Jasmine-Conner-200x300-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-573\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While working with Schmitz, Conner got the chance to meet his wife. \u201cThey were both talking to me about how a robot was going to do her surgery,\u201d Conner said. \u201cIt helped me do my best to perform well in his lab and understand how robots can be used.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to Conner and her efforts, Schmitz said, \u201cDespite no experience with industrial robots, Ms. Conner enthusiastically learned the required software and hardware due to her future interest in the use of robotics for surgical applications. She was a true asset to the team, and it was a pleasure to work with her. She was clearly committed to expanding her research experience in biomedical technology.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Conner advises any students considering the SMaRT program to take the opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhether you had an internship before or this is your first internship, the SMaRT program is a great experience in building connections with faculty that can advise and communicate information to you,\u201d she said. \u201cThe tour at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a definite must-attend because it was so interesting and informative.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Starting in the fall of 2024, Conner will be an intern for a medical laboratory sciences program. In the future, she wants to earn her master\u2019s degree and work as a medical laboratory scientist to further learn and experience working in healthcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe SMaRT program was my first internship. I experienced the technological side of exploring and learning different techniques and strategies,\u201d said Conner. \u201cIt gave me a start on building connections with faculty \u2013 I learned how important it is because it can help you in your career field, even if it is a letter of recommendation. I am more outspoken now than before since I attended the SMaRT program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lilly Tran (<a href=\"mailto:tce@utk.edu\">tce@utk.edu<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Undergrad Jasmine Conner learned all about robots in the medical field under the mentorship of Tony Schmitz through the Student Mentoring and Research Training program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A SMaRT Internship Experience with Jasmine Conner - Department of Biomedical Engineering<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jasmine Conner learned all about robots under the mentorship of Tony Schmitz through the Student Mentoring and Research Training program.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/bme\/news\/a-smart-internship-experience-with-jasmine-conner\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A SMaRT Internship Experience with Jasmine Conner - 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