Dr. Glenn Hudson, Columbia State associate professor of mathematics, has been with the college since 2007. His experiences and involvement with college organizations and events have made him a vital member of the Columbia State Community College family.

Hudson, an Atlanta, Georgia native, earned his bachelor's in physics from Georgia College and his master's and doctorate in physics from Auburn University. Hudson explained that his passion for the field came from two of his college professors that guided him in the right direction on his career path. Since then, Hudson has had a dynamic, exciting career in the field that has allowed him to take part in many sectors of the industry.

Hudson worked at the University of Michigan teaching graduate courses before he went on to work in the nuclear power industry. He accepted a position in the weapons plant at Oak Ridge National Laboratory while he also worked independently as a nuclear materials consultant. Following his career in nuclear materials, Hudson accepted a position as the dean of instruction at Northwest-Shoals Community College. He then moved on to Columbia State and after nearly 10 years of teaching, he plans to retire this spring.

"At times, my journey has been hard," Hudson said. "However, I have had so many different experiences in multiple industries in the physics field - because of that, I was able to travel all over the country and meet so many diverse groups of people."

Associate Professor Glenn Hudson gives students a demonstration of equipment donated by the U.S. Department of Energy. Students enrolled in Physics II tested the equipment for operability and analyzed signals captured by the oscilloscopes. (Pictured left to right: Jennifer Garcia, Shahad Abdulrahman, Glenn Hudson, Aaron Armentrout and Austin Cook).

Hudson felt like he needed to give something back in the education system since it had been so good to him. Hudson explained that he felt that it was important to show students that there are all kinds of opportunities out there for those who are willing to seek them.

"Glenn Hudson, in a word, is a treasure," said Dr. Dearl Lampley, Columbia State dean of science, technology and mathematics. "He has the unique ability to teach the most rigorous courses down to basic introductory classes with equal effectiveness. His dedication to student success and engagement is evident by the countless hours he has spent on committees and projects at the college."

Glenn Hudson, Faculty Senate president and associate professor of mathematics, carries the College flag during the Spring 2016 Commencement Ceremony.

Hudson has gone above and beyond his teaching duties while at Columbia State. He is currently serving his second term as the Faculty Senate president. In addition to his work as a liaison between faculty and administration at Columbia State, Hudson has been the project manager for the STEM GiRLS event at Columbia State since its inception three years ago. Hudson said the idea for the event stemmed from a similar project that he was involved with at Middle Tennessee State University.

More than 200 middle school girls attended the 2016 STEM GiRLS event.

"This project started at Columbia State in 2013," Hudson said. "We're trying to encourage girls to get into the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. For the past few years one of my driving forces has been helping these young girls get an insight into this career path so they know what opportunities lie ahead for them down the road."

Hudson humbly credited his colleagues for the success of STEM GiRLS.

"The planning teams are the ones who do the hard work," Hudson said. "I lead the meetings and watch it all come together. We have a wonderful group of faculty, staff and administration here at Columbia State. I am proud that I have been able to work alongside these hardworking individuals."

Following Hudson's retirement from Columbia, he plans to take some time to relax and enjoy cycling and spending time out on the lakes in Alabama. He also plans to be an active volunteer and continue to mentor students in the STEM fields.