Middle Tennessee State University MTSU Events
Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) and Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) launched a partnership that would transform technology in the Southeast. The two organizations signed an MOU at Miller Education Center to advance quantum science research and build the region as a top high-tech innovation hub.
The signing event was the end of a 15-month collaboration aimed at connecting academic discovery with industrial application. The event was led by MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and MTE President and CEO Chris Jones, featuring university directors, MTE executives, and CBAS academics.
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Building the “Quantum Valley”
Middle Tennessee’s officials want to create a “Quantum Valley” through the cooperation. The creation of a quantum testbed, an advanced experimental network that will connect MTSU’s campus to MTE’s Murfreesboro facilities, is key to this goal.
During the event, McPhee announced that the university is in advanced discussions to develop a quantum testbed for collaborative experiments. The testbed will be open to public and private entities, empowering local businesses and faculty. The ultimate objective is to promote quantum technology adoption by organizations across many industries, moving it from the lab to the regional economy.
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A Transformative Technology for Industry
Quantum technology is widely regarded as the next frontier of computing and communication, with the potential to change industries critical to the Tennessee economy. These include healthcare, cybersecurity, finance, logistics, transportation, energy, and high-performance computing. MTSU and MTE prepare the region to lead the development of previously unknown materials and systems by securing a place in this field.
According to Chris Jones of Middle Tennessee Electric, quantum computing offers the area a generational potential in addition to being a technological advancement. Jones stated our partnership with Middle Tennessee State University boosts Middle Tennessee’s innovation, research, and economic growth. He said these investments are key to attract new businesses, create high-quality jobs, and prepare the city for rapid change.
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Infrastructure and Strategic Collaboration
The partnership makes use of both universities’ distinct advantages. The second-largest US electric cooperative, MTE, serves 750,000 people in 11 counties. In addition to power, MTE is expanding its fiber infrastructure over its 2,200-square-mile service region. It’s crucial to have dedicated, high-capacity networks for quantum communications.
McPhee said that MTE is a founding partner in MTSU’s QRISE Center and helped establish the Middle Tennessee Quantum Technology Hub (MT-QuTech Hub) this year. The MOU aims to explore how internet and fiber can support emerging quantum tools and grow new tech companies.
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The QRISE Center: From Lab to Reality
The academic engine behind this initiative is the QRISE Center, launched in late 2025. Under the leadership of Director Hanna Terletska, an associate professor of physics, QRISE has rapidly become a world-class hub for discovery. To date, the center has secured more than $9 million in active federal research awards and maintains a flagship partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Terletska described the MOU as a “historic milestone” and a “bold step” in the center’s mission. She said that when a research university partners with a big utility, the technology obtains access to a real network and community.
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State Support and Economic Outlook
This partnership’s timing is in line with a larger statewide initiative for technology leadership. Tennessee has given the Tennessee Quantum Initiative $43 million at Governor Bill Lee’s request. Tennessee wants to lead quantum research and assist MTSU with this state funding.
The collaboration’s local origins interested MTSU grads Stephen Smith and Jim Mills, who chaired the Board of Trustees and MTE Board, respectively.. The leaders agreed that the mission of both institutions is fundamentally about lifting the region through knowledge and infrastructure.
The message was clear as the event came to an end with a formal handshake between McPhee and Jones: MTSU and MTE’s alliance is a logical development for two companies committed to public service. Middle Tennessee is ready to lead the quantum era by combining MTE’s regional reach with MTSU’s research.
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