INSTAR Lab - Applied Research

Jupiter and stars Innovation and discovery Silicon technology Astronomy research

DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION

Exoplanetary characterization, interstellar medium mapping, and multi-spectrum signal intelligence for deep-space observation beyond our solar system.

FUTURE OF ENERGY RESEARCH

Fusion plasma confinement, solid-state quantum batteries, and grid-scale superconducting storage systems for a post-carbon energy infrastructure.

NEXT-GEN COMPUTE SYSTEMS

Post-quantum cryptography, formally verified secure kernels, and neuromorphic HPC architectures for resilient autonomous systems and exascale AI.

ORBITAL OPERATIONS

Space-hardened embedded systems, autonomous orbital robotics, and real-time space domain awareness for sustained human presence in low Earth orbit.

HOW WE ADVANCE SCIENCE

INSTAR Lab is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit research institute headquartered in Marietta, Ohio. We advance science through the INSTAR Consortium — five specialized partners combining rigorous methodology with applied research across AI, quantum science, energy, health, and the broad sciences.

Research

Principal investigators and postdoctoral fellows conduct applied R&D across AI, quantum, data analytics, health, energy, and the full sciences — advancing knowledge with rigor and real-world relevance.

Learn More

Transfer

Through STTR partnerships and enterprise engagements, INSTAR Lab moves research from bench to production — bridging the gap between fundamental discovery and deployed technology across multiple sectors.

Learn More

Collaborate

We partner with universities, government agencies, and enterprises to accelerate discovery through joint research programs, shared methodologies, and the INSTAR Consortium network.

Learn More

Annual Research Summit

INSTAR LAB CONSORTIUM 2026

OUR LEADERSHIP

INSTAR Lab is led by experienced scientists, engineers, and researchers whose work spans applied AI, physics, and technology transfer. Our leadership team brings decades of production research, federal R&D, and scientific governance to every program we run.

Suzanne Conejos
Suzanne Conejos

AI Lead Scientist · Board Member

Sean Hackney
Sean Hackney

Board Member · AI Researcher

Dr. Spoogmay Khan
Dr. Spoogmay Khan

AI Physicist

Maha Khan
Maha Khan

Scientist

WHAT PEOPLE SAYS

Testimonial

The Consortium Postdoctoral Research Fellowship gave me a structured research environment, genuine mentorship, and the freedom to pursue hard problems across disciplines.

Consortium Fellow
Sciences
Testimonial

INSTAR Lab operates with the rigor of a university research center and the pragmatism of an applied technology organization — a rare and productive combination.

Research Collaborator
AI & ML
Testimonial

The INSTAR Consortium model brings together complementary methodologies — R&D prioritization, technology readiness, and creative problem-solving — under one research mission.

Consortium Partner
Quantum

LATEST FROM LABS

Technical briefs, STTR highlights, and research updates from INSTAR Lab
and the INSTAR Consortium — published as work matures.

Quantum sensing breakthroughs

New approaches to qubit coherence and quantum error correction are enabling practical advances in sensing and computation.

Read More...

HPC infrastructure for AI

GPU-accelerated clusters and distributed compute architectures are reshaping how researchers train models and run simulations.

Read More...

Clinical AI safety research

Examining how artificial intelligence can improve patient safety, clinical workflows, and healthcare outcomes at national scale.

Read More...

OUR PARTNERS