The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is gaining national recognition for its leadership in quantum science and has been invited to help lead quantum research and development initiatives in the military and space industries.
This week, UTC accepted an invitation to join the Southeastern Quantum Collaborative (SQC), created by the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). Founding members of the SQC include IBM, Davidson Technologies and Alabama A&M University. Additional organizations—including UTC, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, IonQ and Leidos—have committed to join as inaugural members.
The collaborative aims to leverage the region’s unique defense infrastructure, missile defense expertise and strong base of prime contractors to accelerate the transition of quantum information science and technology into field-ready capabilities.
“Quantum technologies have the potential to provide significant advances to national security, advanced manufacturing, medical product development, energy and communication systems,” UTC Chancellor Lori Mann Bruce said. “UTC has been making intentional, strategic investments so our region—and our students—are prepared to lead. This work strengthens Tennessee’s competitiveness while driving innovation that benefits communities across the Tennessee Valley Corridor.”
Ray Vaughn, UAH vice president for research and economic development (emeritus) and SQC program director, said, “We are delighted that the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is joining the Southeastern Quantum Collaborative to promote the advancement of quantum science in our region. UTC’s Quantum Center and its associated faculty are internationally known and will bring great value to the collaborative.”
This collaboration enhances the UTC Quantum Center’s existing partnerships, which also include UT Knoxville, Harvard, Texas A&M, Purdue, the University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of Hamburg, EPB, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
At UTC, the program of excellence in quantum information science and engineering focuses on innovation. Highlights include:
- UTC is the first American university to host a permanent connection to a commercially available quantum network.
- UTC has committed more than $11.1 million in quantum research and infrastructure, including $4.5 million in estimated institutional commitments and $6.6 million in additional funding to support research projects, laboratory buildouts and high-performance computing.
- UTC has committed to a significant, long-term investment to establish a new Governor’s Chair in Quantum Science in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, expanding the state’s work in next-generation technologies.
- In fall 2024, UTC was the first public or private institution in Tennessee to offer an undergraduate degree with a Bachelor of Science in quantum physics.
- Additional academic offerings include an undergraduate certificate in quantum information science and technology and a Ph.D. in computational science that attracts doctoral students conducting quantum research.
- A new Ph.D. program in quantum science is being developed, positioning UTC as one of the Southeast’s leading universities for advanced quantum education.
The UTC Quantum Center houses a broad range of research infrastructure, including optical and atomic physics labs, quantum computing resources and secure communications testbeds, and serves as a trusted hub for quantum research, education and technology development.
For more information about the UTC Quantum Center, visit utc.edu/quantum.
