The National Institute of Standards and Technology has awarded a $3.5 million grant to establish the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Quantum Center.
The funding from NIST, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, will be awarded over a four-year period in support of four distinct areas, according to UTC Vice Chancellor for Research Reinhold Mann: infrastructure; education and outreach; use of case-driven research and development; and business development to ensure the center’s sustainability.
“In 2022, UTC started an initiative to establish a program of excellence in quantum information science and engineering, or QISE, with a strong focus on education and workforce development, and to establish use cases for QISE,” Mann says. “This includes innovation in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, mobility and transportation, safe and resilient energy and related applications.
Since then, UTC has become a member of the Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative and has established an access node on campus to the first commercial quantum network in the United States. The school will use the funding to accelerate the evolution of the quantum initiative into a Quantum Center, Mann continues.
“The focus on quantum information science and engineering is a new direction for UTC. The Quantum Center represents important opportunities for our students, the community and UTC research collaborations with other institutions.”
The infrastructure aspect of the Quantum Center involves resources necessary for connecting and adapting to the EPB quantum network as it continues to develop.
The project’s education focus involves both curriculum and advanced degrees at UTC, as well as community outreach and engagement.
“Within the next year, we plan to add courses to our certificate program in quantum information science and engineering so UTC can offer a minor in QISE,” Mann says. “Soon thereafter, we plan to offer Master of Science and doctoral degrees in QISE.”
The outreach piece also involves the UTC Center for Professional Education (CPE) developing materials for K-12 school outreach with an emphasis on underserved and rural communities. CPE plans to create quantum-specific programming for teachers by engaging K-12 partners and UTC experts in QISE education.
In collaboration with EPB, content will be developed to introduce select high school counselors and youth agencies “to enable a foundational understanding of quantum and facilitate discussions on its implications for student populations in Hamilton County Schools,” Mann says.
Developing use cases via research and development – the project’s third focus area – will involve the investigation of applications of quantum sensing, quantum computing and machine learning, quantum networking and quantum simulation in “high-value application areas,” Mann says.
“That’s a high priority of the research community nationally, and the Quantum Center will strategically align investment of research and development with areas of national and regional need,” Mann says. “For example, with support from TVA, our quantum researchers will evaluate quantitative measures of performance for quantum computing compared to classical approaches in complex optimization problems.
“Similarly, we’ll launch projects in collaboration with the UTC Center for Urban Informatics and Progress to evaluate quantum advantage in developing intelligent systems to solve complex mobility and transportation problems in smart cities.”
The business development and sustainability effort of the project’s fourth focus area calls for securing ongoing funding through a combination of strategies. Those will include publicly and privately resourced program development and research projects, faculty support and graduate fellowships.
Dr. Tian Li, UTC assistant professor of physics and chief technology officer for the Quantum Center, says the funding award promises new and unprecedented opportunities for the center and the university.
“The funding comes at a pivotal moment and will enable UTC as an emerging research institution to expand its role in the forefront of quantum information science and engineering,” Li says. “This timely investment empowers us to undertake ambitious, high-impact research in areas like distributed quantum sensing, quantum control and multipartite entanglement generation.
“With these resources, we’re equipped to not only make significant scientific strides but also to elevate our research capabilities, further positioning UTC as a leader in advancing quantum technology and delivering transformative solutions to benefit society.”
These efforts will support UTC’s mission to serve as a critical resource to the community and the state, Mann adds.
“In equipping UTC to establish new partnerships and grow existing ones across the UT system, with other universities in the region and at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, our Quantum Center is going to be an important asset for economic development in Tennessee. The center will be an important part of fulfilling the university’s role in workforce and talent development and offer unparalleled opportunities for our students.”