MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — What happens when a research university and the second-largest electric cooperative in the United States decide they are solving the same problem? You get the Middle Tennessee Quantum Technology Hub, also known as the MT-QuTech Hub.

Middle Tennessee State University’s QRISE Center and Middle Tennessee Electric, or MTE, recently participated in the 2026 Forum on Growth and Regional Challenges, which brought together state leaders, area mayors, economic developers and university researchers to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping Middle Tennessee’s rapidly growing region.

At the shared MTSU–MTE booth, Hanna Terletska, director of the Quantum Research Interdisciplinary Science and Education Center, or QRISE, was joined by John Villanova, associate director, and MTE Chief Operating Officer Brad Gibson, where they presented the MT-QuTech Hub with a simple but powerful message: 

“Quantum technology is not a laboratory curiosity. It is emerging as essential infrastructure for continued economic development opportunities, and Middle Tennessee is ready to build it.”

Quantum as infrastructure

During the forum, Tennessee Deputy Governor Stuart McWhorter, commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development, delivered keynote remarks in which he recognized quantum technology as a core part of Tennessee’s innovation and economic growth strategy.

“That recognition matters, because it signals that what MTSU and MTE are building together is not just a research initiative,” Terletska noted. “It is part of a larger vision of how Tennessee can compete for the industries, talent and jobs of the next decade.

“Quantum technology is no longer something that happens only in national labs or university research facilities. We are building Middle Tennessee’s quantum infrastructure: real networks, real workforce, real community impact.”

Added MTE’s Gibson: “MTE is excited to partner with MTSU on these innovative and groundbreaking steps in quantum. MTSU’s leadership and talented staff are recognized nationally in this space, and MTE is collaborating to ensure their efforts move from the classroom and laboratory to economic development opportunities for the region.”

Building a quantum region

As one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, Middle Tennessee will need adequate infrastructure to shape what kind of growth it attracts and who benefits from it — that’s where the MTSU-MTE partnership can play a pivotal role, organizers say.

“The MTSU–MTE partnership reflects a forward-looking recognition that quantum technology is foundational infrastructure — on par with fiber, transportation, and power systems,” Terletska continued. “When state economic leadership, a major utility, and a research university align and act together, Middle Tennessee gains a decisive advantage: a shared direction and the momentum to drive innovation, deployment, and economic growth at scale.”

Meanwhile, MTE serves 750,000 Tennesseans across 11 counties and is the second-largest electric cooperative in the country. It employs over 500 people, covers 2,200 square miles of Middle Tennessee, and is actively building out fiber infrastructure across the region.

“MTE is more than a power provider — it is a community partner with deep roots and a long-term vision. And critically, MTE understands that the future of its workforce — and the workforce of every business it serves — depends on preparing now for the technologies on the horizon,” said Gibson.

MTSU’s QRISE Center brings significant strength to this effort, including:

• $9 million in active federal research awards
• A flagship partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• A growing consortium of Middle Tennessee universities aligned around quantum science and technology
• State-leading efforts in quantum workforce development, from K-12 classrooms to industry-ready graduates.

Together, MTSU and MTE bring something uniquely powerful to the table:

• Research credibility plus real-world infrastructure
• Academic depth plus community-minded service
• Vision and execution

This combination gives the MT-QuTech Hub the potential to create impact at a scale neither institution could achieve on its own.

— Hanna Terletska (Hanna.Terletska@mtsu.edu)