Quantum education emerges with unlimited potential at MTSU

The new field of quantum information science has been growing across the U.S. and around the globe, and now it has been developed for students and scholars to study at Middle Tennessee State University.

The College of Basic and Applied Sciences and Department of Physics and Astronomy launched a new website (www.mtsu.edu/quantum) this week to introduce the MTSU Quantum Science Initiative taking shape at the university, promoting faculty efforts in research, education and workforce development in the field of quantum sciences.

As part of MTSU’s quantum education efforts, associate professor and computational quantum physics expert Hanna Terletska has piloted a new interdisciplinary undergraduate course on quantum computing for MTSU students from different departments within the college.

“It’s critical that our students have access to and are trained for the 21st-century jobs and workforce skills,” Terletska said. “MTSU has a unique opportunity to position itself as a hub for quantum science and education in the Middle Tennessee region with the potential to attract top talent to MTSU.”

Seventeen MTSU students are taking a class — Introduction to Quantum Computing — for the first time this semester. It is for all STEM — science, technology, engineering and technology — majors.

Quantum information science is a rapidly growing field with enormous potential to transform various areas, Terletska indicated, including computing, national security, financing, energy research, new materials, health care and information technology.

Terletska is the first MTSU National Science Foundation Early Career Award recipient — the most prestigious national honor for young U.S. faculty — and her National Science Foundation funding, two existing grants totaling about $635,000, are in the area of computational study of quantum materials with strong correlations and impurities and imperfections.

Terletska has applied for two NSF grants, one for $1 million and another for $800,000, and a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. MTSU anticipates hearing results from the applications later this year.

Joining Terletska, who is considered a global rising star in physics and research, in the initiative, are physics and astronomy Chair Ron Henderson and biology professor Ryan Otter, director of the MTSU Data Science Institute. Henderson and physics faculty member Neda Naseri are training in the course.

The MTSU initiative aims to integrate quantum concepts into existing courses and programs, train students in quantum science and develop new educational programs at all levels, including K-20, to cover kindergarten to graduate-degree training.

Emerging quantum information science field

According to Terletska, quantum physics “explores the behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic level to understand the fundamental properties of nature.”

Quantum technologies, including quantum computing, energy storage and transformation and sensing, are based on quantum physics and materials and have transformative potential in various fields.

The U.S. government has identified quantum research and education as key tenets of science and technology, as outlined in the National Quantum Initiative Act, passed in 2018. Major federal science and research agencies, including the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Energy are supporting this area of research.

“Our efforts align perfectly with MTSU’s ongoing efforts to maintain its (Carnegie) R2 high research activity status by growing and expanding in this strategically important research focus,” Terletska said.

Added College of Basic and Applied Sciences Dean Greg Van Patten, “As MTSU continues to build our research portfolio and to ascend through the R2 ranks, we must focus energy and resources into areas where we have competitive advantages. Recent successes in the area of quantum science, from Dr. Terletska and others, make this an emerging area of strength for MTSU.

“We have amassed support from federal agencies, established collaborations with other universities and have excited interest from a number of undergraduate and graduate students who see future opportunities in the eventual commercialization of quantum information technology.”

Van Patten said the college’s mission “focuses on preparing students at all levels for successful careers across a range of scientific and technical fields, on promoting scholarship and scientific inquiry and on addressing key scientific challenges that face our nation.

“The ongoing research on quantum information science at MTSU hits all three parts of the college mission. At present, quantum science is a rapidly advancing field that is beginning its transition from the laboratory to the marketplace. It has the potential to revolutionize certain computational tasks, including cybersecurity, and I’m excited that MTSU is involved in moving this field forward.”

Physics chair Henderson added that the field of quantum science “is evolving rapidly, and MTSU physics majors are eager to find ways to enter the quantum workforce.

“In addition to Dr. Terletska’s quantum computing class, we anticipate adding future courses, and eventually a concentration in quantum science, to provide a pathway to these new careers for our majors. We are also partnering with local community colleges to extend this access to more students.”

Expanding quantum at MTSU, Southeast partners

With the recently submitted NSF grant, Terletska is partnering with Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee; the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga; Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tennessee; and Auburn University in Alabama “to provide experiential training and increase the quantum workforce in the Southeast region.”

“We are working together with Fisk and Vanderbilt University’s Wond’ry center for innovation on educational workforce for training students in quantum,” she said.

Recruiting a diverse and interdisciplinary pool of students is part of the efforts. Terletska conducted recent quantum workshops with MTSU WISTEM Center (Women in STEM) students, Vanderbilt students and earlier this year with Fisk students in Nashville.

Last fall, Terletska and Naseri conducted a quantum workshop for Riverdale High School students, who had been invited to campus by MTSU Department of Biology Chair Dennis Mullen. More workshops are planned.

Through the regional university partnerships, the initiative plans to create a network of researchers and students who can collaborate to tackle some of the biggest challenges in the field, Terletska said. Ultimately, the MTSU effort will provide students with the training necessary for the rising job market and career opportunities in the quantum sector, both local and nationwide.

The initiative also is working to establish partnerships with industry partners and K-20 teachers to develop a Tennessee quantum-ready workforce, she said.

To promote diversity and inclusion, the initiative will foster an interdisciplinary collaborative environment and engage underrepresented groups, Terletska added. This includes recruiting women, first-generation and minority students and introducing quantum through teacher workshops, high school camps and other events.

“Our goal is to provide access to quantum education and research resources to a broad and diverse community and inspire individuals from all backgrounds to participate in quantum science,” Terletska said. “Through these efforts, we aim to nurture the next generation of quantum leaders and support the creation of a robust quantum ecosystem in Tennessee, positioning MTSU as a leader in this field in the region.”

For more information on MTSU’s Quantum Science Initiative, visit www.mtsu.edu/quantum or email [email protected].