Quantum Initiative

Quantum education emerges with unlimited potential at MTSU

by Randy Weiler

The new field of quantum information science has been growing across the U.S. and globally, and now it has been developed for students and scholars to study at MTSU.

The College of Basic and Applied Sciences and the Physics Department recently launched a website (mtsu.edu/quantum) 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 science.

As part of MTSU quantum education efforts, 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,” said Terletska, an associate professor. “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 took Introduction to Quantum Computing for the first time during the Spring 2023 semester. It is for all STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) majors.

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, from K–20 (kindergarten to graduate degree).

The Right Stuff

The potential benefits of 21st century technologies built on quantum information science and materials are staggering. This includes quantum computers, highly efficient solar cells, and room-temperature superconductors that would generate, transmit, and store electricity with almost no loss.

Hence, conquering the behavior of quantum materials can bolster economies, advance the quality of life, and address the unprecedented growth in global energy needs. Governments all over the globe and large multinational companies have launched significant quantum material research initiatives and have invested heavily in related technologies and education.

“We call these materials ‘quantum’ to highlight the exotic properties emerging in these materials coming purely from quantum physics effects,” Terletska said. “The magic comes from millions of thousands of interacting electrons, which at the atomic and subatomic scales start to also have wavelike properties. At this level, quantum physics really kicks in, and electrons start to exhibit quantum effects like tunneling, interference, entanglement, and topological order.

“Research in this field requires complex many-body numerical algorithms and access to powerful supercomputers.”

Terletska uses XSEDE supercomputing resources funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and has access to the world’s most powerful computers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.

A first-generation college student from Ukraine, Terletska immigrated to the United States, first earning her M.S. at Minnesota State, then a Ph.D. at Florida State University, followed by several postdoctoral trainings at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, Louisiana State University, Ames National Laboratory, and University of Michigan, and finally the faculty position at MTSU.

Terletska is MTSU’s first NSF Early Career Award recipient—the most prestigious national honor for young faculty—and her NSF fundings (two existing grants totaling about $635,000) are in the area of computational study of quantum materials, with strong correlations and impurities and imperfections.

Computational quantum physics expert Hanna Terletska has piloted a new interdisciplinary undergraduate course on quantum computing.

Terletska has applied for two NSF grants ($1 million and $800,000) and one from the U.S. Department of Energy ($500,000). MTSU anticipates hearing results from those submissions later this year.

Hopes of more funding being directed to MTSU’s quantum efforts are high. 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 (2018), and major U.S. federal science and research agencies including the NSF, 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.

Hanna Terletska

CBAS Dean Greg Van Patten said 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.” among others, “to provide experiential training and increase the quantum workforce in the Southeast region,” she said. For example, MTSU is working together with Fisk and with Vanderbilt University’s Wond’ry innovation center on educational workshops for training students in quantum.

According to Van Patten, recent successes in the area of quantum science, from 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,” he said.

Recruiting a diverse and interdisciplinary pool of students is part of the efforts. Terletska recently conducted quantum workshops with MTSU Women in STEM Center students, Vanderbilt students, and Fisk students. Last fall, Terletska and Neda Naseri, an MTSU Physics lecturer, conducted a quantum workshop for Riverdale High School students who had been invited to campus by Biology Department Chair Dennis Mullen. Future workshops are planned.

Ultimately, the effort will provide MTSU students with the training necessary for the rising job market and career opportunities in the quantum sector.

Through the regional university partnerships, MTSU’s initiative endeavors 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 effort will provide MTSU students with the training necessary for the rising job market and career opportunities in the quantum sector, both locally and nationwide.

Quantum information science squarely fits the college’s mission, Van Patten said, in that it “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.”

“I’m excited that MTSU is involved in moving this field forward,” he summed up.

The Future Is Now

Joining Terletska in the initiative is Physics and Astronomy Chair Ron Henderson.

Henderson said 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,” he said. “We are also partnering with local community colleges to extend this access to more students.”

With the recently submitted NSF grant, Terletska is partnering with Fisk University in Nashville, the University of Tennessee–Chattanooga, Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, and Auburn University in Alabama,

The initiative also seeks to establish partnerships with industry partners and K–20 educators to foster the development of a quantum-ready workforce in Tennessee, 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 and first-generation and minority students and introducing quantum concepts 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.”

About the Initiative

More information at mtsu.edu/quantum