MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) - Middle Tennessee State University secured a $2 million federal grant from the National Science Foundation to train graduate students in quantum science and artificial intelligence over the next five years.
The grant funds the National Research Traineeship program through the Quantum Research Interdisciplinary Science and Education Center (QRISE) at MTSU. The initiative aims to build a skilled workforce to power the region's expanding quantum and technology ecosystem.
Eight graduate students make up the first cohort for the 2026-27 academic year. Participants receive $16,000 in tuition assistance, specialized professional development, and a $37,000 stipend for eligible students.
Program leaders designed the curriculum to move students from academic laboratories to real-world applications. Trainees will conduct research at MTSU, collaborate with experts at Oak Ridge National Research Laboratory, and partner with regional industry leaders to solve practical engineering and computing challenges.
The inaugural cohort includes eight students pursuing various advanced degrees:
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Tomy Chet, a data science major from Murfreesboro
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Laurel Koenig, a computational and data science major from Hampton
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Patrick Wong, a computational science major from Lakeland
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Danlei Zhu, a computational and data science major from China
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Robert Dohner, a computational and data science major from Clarksville
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Gavin Liles, a computer science major from Nashville
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Dongyu Liu, a computational and data science major from China
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Hannah Osborne, a mathematics major from Chapel Hill
Faculty members guide the trainees throughout their research projects. Faculty mentors include QRISE Director and physics professor Hanna Terletska, computer science professor Joshua Phillips, assistant computer science professor Kritagya Upadhyay, and assistant mathematics professor Donglin Forrest Wang.
Research project manager Aspen Malone works alongside the grant leadership team. Wandi Ding serves as the principal investigator for the grant and associate director of education for the QRISE Center. Co-principal investigators include Abdul Khaliq, Jing Kong, Phillips, and Terletska, with Upadhyay and Wang serving as senior personnel.
Student projects focus on cutting-edge technological solutions. Wong works alongside Terletska to run quantum simulations that model material behaviors for new technology, reducing development costs. Koenig works with Phillips to apply quantum machine learning to data from large industrial equipment, creating predictive models to prevent machinery failures right before they happen.
University officials expect the program to streamline graduation timelines by allowing students to focus entirely on research rather than dividing time with outside work.
