Note to users: The LodeStar Data Hub is currently under development. We are actively building this platform with the goal of serving the entire UMN research community. Stay tuned as new features roll out, and help shape the future of research at Minnesota by sharing your ideas and the resources you’d like to see through our feedback form.
LodeStar Data Hub: Your Gateway to Research at Scale
The LodeStar Data Hub is an emerging platform designed to connect University of Minnesota researchers with the data storage, data resources, computing power, and expert guidance they need to advance discovery. While still in development, LodeStar’s vision is to make working with data simple, secure, and collaborative—laying the foundation for a system that empowers researchers to achieve more.
LodeStar will be rolled out in phases:
- Phase 1 – Awareness: Make resources visible and accessible.
- Phase 2 – Navigation: Help researchers select the right options.
- Phase 3 – Management: Enable dashboards and direct requests.
What LodeStar Will Offer
Data Storage and Management
At the University of Minnesota, researchers have access to a wide array of data storage options to meet the unique demands of their research projects. Navigating this complex environment can be challenging, the Lodestar initiative is designed to simplify the process. Lodestar aims to provide a comprehensive, bird's-eye view of all available research storage resources and data at UMN, with future plans to integrate tools that will help researchers seamlessly acquire, move, and share research data.
Computing and Analysis
A key component of LodeStar is access to high-performance computing clusters, data movement, and advanced research tools. The hub is being designed to integrate seamlessly with systems like Open OnDemand and specialized instrumentation, enabling researchers to run large-scale analyses, complex simulations, and advanced modeling without barriers.
Data Assets
LodeStar is envisioned as a home for shared data assets and research tools that fuel discovery across disciplines. By reducing duplication of effort and making high-value datasets easier to find, the hub will support collaboration, accelerate new insights, and strengthen the collective impact of UMN research. If you have any assets you would like to add to our resources please share them here.
Training and Consulting
The hub will also provide pathways to experts in areas like informatics, geospatial analysis, and data management. These specialists help researchers adopt best practices, streamline workflows, and maximize the value of their data. As the platform evolves, this expert guidance will become a cornerstone of the LodeStar.
Infrastructure and Security
LodeStar is being built on a strong foundation of enterprise-grade security, high-speed networking, and compliant environments for sensitive data (including HIPAA, CUI, FISMA Moderate). This infrastructure will ensure that UMN researchers have the resources and protections needed to move massive datasets, work across disciplines, and connect securely to collaborators worldwide.
Our Partners
LodeStar represents a system-wide collaboration, bringing together expertise and infrastructure from across the University of Minnesota. By combining resources from campuses, colleges, and departments, it will create a unified ecosystem that supports researchers wherever they are and whatever their field.
Founding partners include: