Personal Experience Guides Graduate Student’s Research
Connor Murphy never wanted to be defined by his life circumstances. Rather, Murphy wanted to use them to make a positive impact on the world through engineering.
At 5 months old, Murphy was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 1, a rare hereditary genetic condition in which the muscles throughout the body are weakened because nerves cells in the spinal cord and brainstem do no work properly.
The Knoxville native spent much of his childhood in hospitals and witnessed some of the shortcomings of medical equipment. The experience launched his dream of majoring in biomedical engineering at the University of Tennessee.
As he grew older, the wheelchair-bound Murphy became more aware of his physical limitations. Murphy knew he couldn’t participate in some of the same extracurricular activities as other kids his age, so he decided to join the robotics club in high school. The introduction to programming fascinated Murphy, and he quickly fell in love with the process.
Murphy has combined his two passions in the Tickle College of Engineering. He received his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering (’23) and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in computer science.
In mid-June, Murphy was informed he would be receiving a graduate research fellowship from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The fellowship provides three years of support with a $37,000 annual stipend and $16,000 annual cost of education payment.
“My future goals are centered around continuing to leverage technology, particularly artificial intelligence, to improve healthcare outcomes and quality of life for individuals with impairments,” Murphy said. “Through my graduate studies and research, I aim to develop a deep understanding of AI methodologies and their potential applications in the healthcare field, with the goal of getting a PhD along the way.”
Finding his engineering path
Murphy arrived at UT in 2020 and began exploring the role software played in healthcare. He investigated research opportunities taking place at the university that aligned with his future career goals and accommodated his physical limitations.
“This process was invaluable in helping me understand the realities of undergraduate research. It pushed me to think more critically about how I could contribute to the field and to seek out alternative ways to gain experience and make an impact,” Murphy said. “This experience taught me to leverage my unique perspective to contribute to biomedical engineering and advocate for greater accessibility in STEM.”
A pivotal moment in his undergraduate work came during his senior year when he took a class on emerging and theoretical applications of artificial intelligence in healthcare taught by MABE Professor Xiaopeng Zhao.
“I immediately recognized that this was the path I had been seeking,” Murphy said. “The boundless potential of AI in healthcare, from detecting cancer to providing psychological support, resonated with me due to its ability to markedly impact the healthcare industry in so many different ways.”
Zhao assigned a group project in class to make a computer program to analyze electroencephalography (EEG) data for brain computer interface research. The groups had to generate analysis reports and figures. They were only required to submit 10 pages, but Murphy’s group submitted 29.
“I was so impressed with the quality of the work and detail of the work. I looked at the top of the report and Connor’s name was listed as the group leader,” Zhao said. “The other students followed him to get work done. That left a great impression on me.”
Professor Hairong Qi, the Gonazlez Family Professor in the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, had Murphy in her machine learning class last fall.
“Despite severe physical disability, he showed up at every lecture, fully present, engaged, and excelling,” said Qi, Murphy’s graduate advisor. “I often find myself reflecting on the hurdles he must have overcome just to be in that room, all while carrying the aspiration to build a career to helping others. He sets such a great example on what’s possible beyond physical limits, through focus, courage, and a big heart.”
Helping to improve outcomes
In his final semester of undergraduate work, Murphy spearheaded a collaboration with a mechanical engineering class to engineer innovative assistive devices for people with physical impairments. The group developed a stabilizer that enables wheelchair users to maintain arm stability while maneuvering and designed a universal umbrella holder adaptable to all wheelchair models.
Outside of school, Murphy has developed onscreen video game controllers that are more accessible for individuals with mobility impairments and volunteered with the Power of Play, a nonprofit organization that provides adaptive equipment and support for individuals with disabilities to participate in recreational activities. Murphy has designed bespoke 3D-printable solutions tailored to each person’s unique needs that allowed them to fully engage in play.
“Connor doesn’t let anything stand in his way. He is mentally strong and he’s living a very active life,” Zhao said. “His mental curiosity, determination, and ability to perform coding and data analysis is very strong. He’s very self-reliant and is an independent researcher. If you give him a project, you can definitely count on him to get that done.”
Murphy’s proposed future graduate research will focus on developing and evaluating an adaptive AI agent system capable of providing personalized, innovative assistance for daily activities to individuals with dementia.
Murphy’s personal health experience, combined with his innovative spirit, has inspired him to use engineering as a vehicle to transform society for the better.
“Ultimately, I hope to make lasting impacts by creating technologies that empower individuals with impairments, improve patient outcomes, and contribute to a more equitable and inclusive healthcare system,” Murphy said.
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey ([email protected])