Q1 2025 - CQC Quantum Connect

Welcome to Quantum Connect!

Welcome to our first edition of CQC Quantum Connect, a space for quarterly updates about quantum technology in the Chattanooga area and how we’re working together to prepare for it.

As we look back on 2024 and ahead to 2025, we’re excited to share the progress that’s been made and the possibilities that lie ahead for the Chattanooga region and beyond. Last year was filled with learning, connecting and laying the groundwork for what we hope will be a bright future in quantum technology for our region.  

Looking ahead, 2025 has been officially designated as the International Year of Quantum—a global celebration of quantum technology and its transformative potential. This milestone aligns perfectly with our goals to foster learning, collaboration and innovation here in Chattanooga and the Southeast.  In this edition, we’ll highlight the strides we made in 2024 and share a preview of the initiatives we’re planning for the year ahead.

Here’s to 2025 and the future of quantum. We’re glad you’re along for the journey!

Learning & Engagement: Building Knowledge for Tomorrow’s Tech

2024 marked our second annual celebration of World Quantum Day, engaging over 10,000 participants across Chattanooga over a six-week period.

The event featured hands-on workshops and discussions, introducing students to the possibilities of quantum technology. Building on last year’s efforts, this year saw engagement from schools, churches and even pre-K classes with a highlight being the experience created for Tyner Academy high school students. Developed by the Public Education Foundation, this custom experience immersed students in artificial intelligence and machine learning, with the opportunity to earn "micro credentials" in the topics they studied.

Through this module, students could earn micro credentials for understanding the basic principles of machine learning, training AI models, and testing and refining those models. In fact, 107 of the 116 Tyner students who participated in the World Quantum Day activity earned at least one micro credential, an accomplishment they can cite on college or technical school applications, highlighting their engagement with emerging technology at an early stage.

Learn more about the Tyner students’ experience here. 

In addition to World Quantum Day, we were proud to sponsor and help build the content for CO.LAB’s CO.Mobility Summit data track, which drew over 500 attendees over two days. We welcomed speakers and participants from leading organizations across the country, including IonQ, SavantX, Qubits Ventures, South Carolina Quantum, Qubitekk, the U.S. Department of Energy, and The Quantum Insider. The event sparked new conversations and began partnerships with promise for future collaboration.

‍Partner News

We’re excited to share that CQC founding member UTC is buzzing with activity in the quantum space: 

Professional Development in Quantum

To begin paving the way for accessible quantum education, UTC launched its first certificate course in quantum technology. Offered through the Center for Professional Education, this introductory program is designed to demystify quantum concepts and inspire curiosity about how quantum technologies can be applicable to existing industries.

The inaugural class was tailored specifically for a group of Volkswagen engineers based in Chattanooga and Detroit. Over six weeks this fall, participants engaged in remote learning sessions, exploring the fundamentals of quantum and its potential applications in the automotive industry and beyond. The program’s structure allowed busy professionals to gain insights into one of the world’s most transformative technologies without disrupting their demanding schedules.

By bridging the gap between advanced quantum concepts and practical business applications, the program aims to empower professionals across various fields to understand and embrace ways that quantum technologies could be beneficial to their specific businesses in the future.

Building on the success of the pilot class, UTC is now working to integrate professional development quantum coursework into its general curriculum. The university is also open to creating custom entry-level courses for other organizations interested in understanding the quantum revolution and its implications for their industries.

For more information, click here. 

Quantathon!

In addition, a team of UTC students recently participated in the first annual Quantathon (quantum + hackathon) in Columbia, SC, working on solutions to quantum challenges. UTC’s team worked alongside undergraduate students from 16 other universities including Clemson, the University of South Carolina and others over the course of 24 hours.

Hosted by the Darla Moore School of Business and powered by qBraid, this first-of-its-kind competition encouraged innovative approaches to some of today’s most pressing quantum challenges. In collaboration with industry leaders like DoraHacks, Xanadu, and IonQ, participants pushed the boundaries of quantum technology in the fields of cybersecurity, quantum chemistry and machine learning. 

Building the Bench

And, the university is actively adding to its roster of quantum expertise, with Dr. Rick Mukherjee, a distinguished physicist from the University of Hamburg in Germany joining late last year as a professor and director of the Quantum Center. 

A widely published scientist, Dr. Mukherjee’s research interests include quantum simulation, quantum information, and machine learning. 

We sat down with Rick to learn more including what brought him to Chattanooga, where he sees quantum technology affecting society and how he’d explain quantum to a 10 year old. 

1. What were the driving factors in your decision to move from Germany to Chattanooga to lead the Quantum Center?

One of the biggest factors was EPB’s advanced network infrastructure. It’s a unique asset that immediately drew me in. Quantum networking, while it comes with its challenges, has a shorter path to tangible benefits compared to quantum computing, which remains the “holy grail” of the field but requires overcoming significant barriers to become fully fault-tolerant. Networking offers more immediate applications, such as advancements in cryptography.

I was also impressed by the strong relationships UTC has cultivated with organizations like Volkswagen, EPB, and local/regional/national political leadership. Building a quantum network is like planting a seed—you need the right environment for it to grow. These relationships act as the light, water, and nutrients for growth, creating a synergistic effort that benefits everyone involved.

2. How do you see quantum technology impacting industries or everyday life in the coming years?

Industries are undergoing a transformative shift. Twenty-five years ago, everything was brick-and-mortar, focused on machinery and physical building. Now, with IoT and AI, almost every object—from refrigerators to cars—is a smart device requiring computing power. Quantum technology could touch anything that depends on computing, unlocking new capabilities.

Quantum research falls into four main areas:

• Chemistry Material Science and Simulations (e.g., drug discovery and molecular design)
• Quantum sensing 
• Quantum Computing 
• Quantum Communications/Networking 

Quantum communications for cybersecurity is especially critical, as we shift from traditional military and biowars to cyber warfare. Quantum encryption can revolutionize data protection, ensuring secure communication in a world of increasing digital threats. But fundamental questions remain, like the transition between quantum and classical physics, and researchers are still unraveling how it works.

3. What’s something about quantum physics that still amazes or puzzles you?

The measurement problem is endlessly fascinating. When we measure quantum systems, their wave function collapses, pulling them from the quantum world into the classical one. This behavior is both a strength and a challenge for quantum technology—anything that disturbs the system can act as a measurement, erasing its quantum properties.

Another puzzle is how to connect microscopic quantum physics with macroscopic classical physics. Humans are classical beings made of quantum particles—so where exactly does the transition happen? And gravity, the "black sheep" of the universe, adds another layer of complexity as researchers try to reconcile it with quantum mechanics.

4. If you could describe quantum technology in a single sentence for a 10-year-old, what would you say?

“Read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and pay attention to how small things see the world differently than big things—that’s quantum physics in a nutshell.”

5. What’s something fun or surprising you’ve learned about Chattanooga or the Southeast since moving here?

Chattanooga’s connection to Coca-Cola bottling surprised me. It’s an amazing example of entrepreneurial spirit, which still thrives here today. That same willingness to take risks and innovate is part of why the quantum network here is so successful. It makes me wonder—can we create a quantum version of the Coca-Cola story?

6. If quantum technology could solve one big global problem, what would you want it to address?

I’d focus on freeing up valuable time for people. With better-performing tools, we could achieve a better work-life balance, allowing more time for creative pursuits and nurturing relationships. We hear a lot of talk about how quantum could address critical issues like food security, energy, and climate change, and all of that is very possible. But, to me, even incremental improvements in quality of life for people would be transformative.

7. What’s a unique item or artifact you brought with you from Germany to remind you of home?

“Home” has been several places for me including India, Germany, the US and other places. I brought some physical things with me that remind me of experiences I’ve had and relationships I’ve built in other places, but most of what I bring isn’t physical. It’s the lessons, values, knowledge and connections with people that I take everywhere I go.

UTC anticipates that Dr. Mukherjee’s appointment will enhance research, development, and educational initiatives in quantum information science and engineering at UTC and in the broader Chattanooga region, and we couldn’t be happier that he’s here!

And, speaking of expertise, UTC has launched its search for its first Governor’s Chair scientist in Quantum Information Science and Engineering, a joint appointment with CQC founding member ORNL.

‍Technology Advancement: Partnering for Progress

Quantum technology is evolving, and we’re excited to see partners and neighbors driving it forward. Recently, founding members ORNL, EPB and UTC announced the results of their collaboration in testing ORNL’s quantum technology on EPB Quantum Network.

In this project, partners achieved a first when they demonstrated the transmission of an entangled quantum signal using multiple wavelength channels and automatic polarization stabilization over a commercial network with no downtime. 

In other words, they used a new technique to stabilize the signals, making the technology more reliable and representing a step toward building a future quantum internet, which could be faster and more secure than today’s networks.

Find more details about the joint project here.

‍Economic Development: Connecting with the Quantum Community

Our progression in quantum technology isn’t just about what we do; it’s about who we connect with. Throughout 2024 and since, we’ve been forming relationships with quantum practitioners across the country. We’ve had the honor of attending and speaking at events including the Quantum World Congress, the TN Valley Corridor’s 2024 Summit, The Company Lab’s CO.Mobility Summit, UTC’s Quantum Conversations and others.

These events have given us the opportunity to start important conversations, listen to industry experts, and explore how the Chattanooga area can continue to contribute to the broader quantum ecosystem. We’re just getting started, but we’re excited about the partnerships we’ve already begun forming, which will help us explore both the technology and its potential economic impact on the region.

To continue building on these efforts, we’ve joined the QllianSE consortium, a new collaboration aimed at fostering quantum innovation across the Southeast. Consisting of leading universities, quantum technology companies and industry players in sectors such as automotive and finance, members share a common interest in building momentum for our collective quantum future. While there’s a long way to go, we’re excited to be part of the movement to develop a regional quantum ecosystem.

‍What’s Next?

As we move forward, we’ll continue our efforts to nurture learning, support the expansion of technological boundaries, and build meaningful connections across the quantum community. We may be in the early stages, but with every new conversation and collaboration, we’re helping shape Chattanooga’s role in the future of quantum technology.

Look for news about opportunities to learn about and engage with technology developments in more ways in 2025, including a year-long celebration of the International Year of Quantum with new learning resources being developed now. And be on the lookout for experiences aimed at arming businesses with more information to help them make decisions about their organizations’ futures.

Stay in Touch

To help you stay on top of the many virtual and in-person events and news happening around quantum technologies, check out our website’s new resource hub. And follow us on LinkedIn or X to stay up to date with everything happening in the quantum space.

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