The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has been awarded a $3.5 million federal grant to establish the UTC Quantum Center, a hub for advancing quantum science and technology. The funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology will support four key areas: infrastructure, education and outreach, research and development, and business development.
Dr. Tian Li, assistant professor of physics and chief technology officer for the Quantum Center, and Vice Chancellor for Research Reinhold Mann are leading the initiative. The center will focus on quantum information science and engineering, with applications in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, mobility, and energy systems.
Partnerships with EPB, a local utility company that has created the first commercial quantum network in the US, and the Tennessee Valley Authority will drive innovation in these areas. The grant will also support education and workforce development, including new courses and degrees in quantum information science and engineering, as well as outreach programs for K-12 schools and underserved communities.
Establishing a Hub for Quantum Science: The UTC Quantum Center
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) has been awarded a $3.5 million federal grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to fully establish the UTC Quantum Center. This funding will be distributed over four years, supporting four distinct focus areas: infrastructure, education and outreach, use case-driven research and development, and business development for sustainability.
The infrastructure aspect of the Quantum Center involves resources necessary for connecting and adapting to the EPB quantum network as it continues to develop. This includes establishing an access node on campus to the first commercial quantum network in the United States, created by EPB. The funding will enable UTC to accelerate the evolution of its quantum initiative into a fully-fledged Quantum Center.
The education focus involves both curriculum development and advanced degrees at UTC, as well as community outreach and engagement. Within the next year, UTC plans to add courses to its certificate program in Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE) to offer a minor in QISE. Soon thereafter, the university plans to offer M.S. and Ph.D. 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.
Developing use cases via research and development involves the investigation of applications of quantum sensing, quantum computing, machine learning, quantum networking, and quantum simulation in high-value application areas. This is a high priority in the research community nationally, and the Quantum Center will strategically align investment of R&D with areas of national and regional need.
For example, with support from TVA, UTC’s quantum researchers will evaluate quantitative measures of performance for quantum computing compared to classical approaches in complex optimization problems. Similarly, they will 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 calls for securing ongoing funding through a combination of strategies. These will include publicly and privately resourced program development and research projects, faculty support, graduate fellowships, and the like.
Dr. Tian Li, UTC assistant professor of physics and chief technology officer for the Quantum Center, emphasized that the funding award promises new and unprecedented opportunities for the Center and the University. “The $3.5-million funding comes at a pivotal moment, enabling UTC as an emerging research institution to expand its role in the forefront of quantum information science and engineering,” Li said.
These efforts will support UTC’s mission to serve as a critical resource to the community and the state. 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, the 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 its students.
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