Every summer, the Health Care Engineering Systems Center (HCESC) offers UIUC undergraduates the opportunity to apply for a Jump ARCHES summer internship. Students are paired with a PI who has received funding through Jump ARCHES and assist them with their work. Not only are students introduced to innovative projects in the healthcare engineering space, they also are able to perform hands on research as necessary. Seven interns were picked for this summer, including mechanical engineering student Qianhe Ye. Ye worked with Dr. Inki Kim, the Assistant Director of Research in Medical Simulation in HCESC 

What project are you working on, who are you working with, and what is something you have learned so far from said project?

I am working on project Developing digital twin (DT) for a miniature tool-tissue interaction with Dr. Inki Kim and Srikar Annamraju. During the process, I learned that there are so many ways to integrate engineering and health care, which is enlightening.

What has been your favorite part of your internship experience so far?

I designed and built a functional structure by doing 3D modeling and printing and taking apart a broken 3D printer. It feels really nice to carry out hands-on exercises and see my design work in real life.

Why has the Jump ARCHES Summer Internship been important to you?

During this internship I am lucky to meet lots of amazing people and get more information about robotics and how it relates to health care. It has broadened my horizons and given me a clearer idea of where I want to go in graduate school in the future.

How do you hope to use the knowledge that you have gained from this experience in your future endeavors?

In this internship I did research on several fields of study and gained some basic knowledge about each of them, which is very beneficial to decide my future research directions. Also, I learned valuable lessons about how to balance work, study and life from people around me.