MTSU furthered its progress toward becoming an international leader in quantum science and technology on Friday with the opening of the Quantum Research, Interdisciplinary Science and Education (QRISE) Center in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.
MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, College of Basic and Applied Sciences dean Greg Van Patton and MTSU Board of Trustees Chair Steve Smith all gave remarks during the event, which they characterized as a watershed moment for not just MTSU, but the entire state.
“This newly established QRISE center will drive breakthroughs that will shape the next generation of technology and will transform how we understand and harness the quantum world,” McPhee said.
Hanna Terletska, an MTSU physics professor and QRISE’s first official director, also spoke to the crowd of about 50.
Terletska, who has more than a decade of experience in academia, used her time at the podium to emphasize the need for teamwork across Tennessee if the state is to lead the nation in quantum and its implications.
“Tennessee now has a generational opportunity to be a national leader in quantum,” Terletska said. “Quantum science and quantum technologies are strategic U.S. priorities with economy-wide impact — from computing and cybersecurity to energy, advanced materials, health care and finance. These are areas that are critical for U.S. global leadership, national security and defense.”
Her role as director involves overseeing interdisciplinary research, workforce development and partnerships with academic, industry and government partners — many of whom were in attendance on Friday — with the goal of positioning Tennessee as a leader in quantum technology.
She described Friday as the birth of the Middle Tennessee quantum consortium hub, which she said will bring together government, industry, national labs and academia.
But what is quantum?
Essentially, matter behaves differently on the atomic and sub-atomic (smaller than an atom) level than they would on a larger level. This means classical physics doesn’t always apply. At the macro level, an object can either be stationary or moving at a given time, but not both.
On the subatomic level, an atom can exist in multiple states simultaneously; this phenomenon is known as quantum superposition. So an atom can be both a particle and a wave at the same time on the quantum level.
Scientists have been working for decades to understand the mechanics of quantum superposition, which many believe could lead to faster computing. This field is called Quantum Information Science.
Quantum Information Science, according to McPhee, is a rapidly growing field that impacts various areas, including computing, national security, finance, energy research, new materials, healthcare and information technology.
Van Patton also shared his appreciation for the partnership and outlined his vision for the future of quantum, including diagnosing diseases quickly, enhancing infrastructure security and improving power grids with quantum technologies.
“These are not just distant possibilities, often way in the future,” Van Patton said. “These are things that are taking shape now, and the institutions that step forward in this moment are going to determine what our quantum future looks like.”
The QRISE Center will also serve as a place for students to collaborate through TN-QuMat, a cooperative effort between Fisk, Tennessee State University, Meharry College and MTSU that works with the U.S. Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratories to develop a workforce trained in quantum sciences.
President McPhee spoke proudly of the entire affair and extended gratitude to the elected officials who, he said, helped make the new center possible.
“The $147 million investment in [the College of Basic and Applied Sciences] made by the state of Tennessee allowed us to create this corridor of innovation, which in turn helped MTSU enhance research and service,” McPhee said. “[QRISE] will position our university as a world-class hub for advancing quantum discovery, innovation, education, workforce and economic development and science education.”
A video featuring U.S. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee’s 3rd district was also played for the crowd. In it, the Congressman congratulated MTSU on its $2.2 million U.S. Department of Energy grant secured this year, which also involves Oak Ridge and Nashville higher education institutions, Fisk University, Tennessee State University and Meharry Medical College.
Fleischmann was credited at Friday’s event with being instrumental in linking MTSU with Oak Ridge. He also coordinated a visit for MTSU trustees, faculty and administrators to Oak Ridge over the summer.
Terletska and Van Patten represented MTSU more recently at a reception titled “Tennessee: America’s Next Quantum Technology Hub,” in Washington, D.C., with U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Fleischmann, Middle Tennessee Electric officials and others regarding quantum research and development.
The QRISE Center does not have a building yet, but Terletska said that, in the long run, there will be a physical center connected to a statewide, quantum network.
“Tennessee has a great ambition to build one statewide quantum network, and that requires joint collaboration and working [between] Oak Ridge National Lab, UT Chattanooga, EPB Chattanooga, MTSU, and hopefully Memphis will join soon,” Terletska said. “But this is like a really generational opportunity for Tennessee, because we have really good programs across the state.”
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