About Us

Dr. Annette Sobel is a dedicated public servant and scientist whose career has emphasized technologies to support national security and improve medical care in extreme environments such as space, high altitude, and diving. She is a retired Major General in the Arizona and New Mexico Air National Guards, and former New Mexico Homeland Security Director. She served as the Senior Assistant to the Chief, National Guard Bureau, (NGB), as well as the Chief’s Advisor for Civil-Military Support during and post-9/11, as well as the Director of Intelligence for NGB, to include support to Hurricane Katrina humanitarian response.

Robert Duncan provides consulting on near-quantum limited sensing systems, quantum sensing flight hardware development, and on the conceptual and experimental design of fundamental physics experiments. He has served as the Vice Chancellor for Research of a major AAU research university with extensive experience in major research commercialization successes. He consults in these areas of research commercialization and research administration as well. Please see below for Duncan’s narrative and full Curriculum Vitae.

Dr. Shelby Lacouture is a scientist, electrical engineer, and inventor. He is a Directed Energy Professional Society Scholar and a recipient of the Arthur H. Guenther Pulsed Power Award. Shelby has invented numerous novel technologies and currently holds 3 full patents with several more pending. Two of his inventions have received the TechConnect National Innovation Award. Shelby is an inveterate embedded systems designer and custom software engineer. His specialties are: metrology, mixed-signal circuits, pulsed-power systems and software for instrument control and data-processing.

Dr. Andrew Gillespie is a physicist, inventor, and entrepreneur who provides simulation capabilities in particle transport (MCNP), python, C++, Mathematica, and more. As a research scientist, he has specialized in gas adsorption on porous solids, hydrogen and methane storage, metrology, heat transport, mass spectrometry, physics education, air and water purification, energy storage, alternative fuels with emphasis on vehicular applications, electron microscopy, gas phase and liquid phase dynamics, thermodynamics, nanomaterial synthesis, and high surface area nanomaterials.

Mitch Kelley, Ph.D., is an active member of IEEE with 11 years of membership, including 8 years with the IEEE Power Electronics Society. At Texas Tech University, Dr. Kelley instructs various undergraduate project laboratories, including a Capstone course, where he oversees approximately 45 students each semester working in small groups on electrical engineering projects that emphasize practical application, project scheduling, and budgeting. Dr. Kelley also mentors a mechanical engineering graduate student, collaborating on the design of custom housings for PCBs and other unique systems, including a gas control system for accurate nitrogen oxide sensing. His research includes serving as the lead designer of a novel open differential vacuum calorimeter capable of operating near ultra-high vacuum and housing large test cells; he developed simulation models, authored a manuscript, and has a patent pending.

Cuikun Lin, Ph.D. specializes in nanofabrication, instrument development, and automation. With extensive expertise in these fields, Dr. Lin has played a pivotal role in advancing cutting-edge technologies and methodologies for precision manufacturing and high-performance instrumentation. His research spans a broad spectrum, including micro- and nanoscale device fabrication, automated systems for experimental optimization, and the integration of novel techniques to enhance efficiency and accuracy in scientific instrumentation. Throughout his career, Dr. Lin has demonstrated a strong commitment to innovation and scholarly excellence. He has authored and co-authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, contributing significantly to the scientific community. His impactful research is reflected in his H-index of 41, highlighting the broad influence and citation of his work within the field. Dr. Lin continues to drive forward technological advancements, bridging fundamental research with practical applications in nanotechnology and automation.