James J. Hudgens, Ph.D., has led national security research for over 25 years. As the current director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and senior vice president of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), Hudgens leads over 2,900 employees conducting $833 million in research across a variety of disciplines, including autonomous systems, cybersecurity, electromagnetics, electronic warfare, modeling and simulation, sensors, systems engineering, test and evaluation, and threat systems. GTRI's renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy and technical expertise to address challenges facing national security, state, and industry.

Before joining Georgia Tech, Hudgens directed the $265 million-per-year Threat Intelligence Center (TIC) at Sandia National Laboratories, where he led the Information Operations and Proliferation Assessments programs for the National Security Program Division. Prior to his promotion to director of TIC, Hudgens served in several leadership positions across the organization, including director the Information Systems Analysis Center (ISAC), senior manager of the Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Systems department where he won the Department of Energy Secretary’s Honor Award for Achievement for leading the Copperhead counter-IED program; deputy director of the Surveillance and Reconnaissance program, manager of Photonic Microsystems Technologies, and principal member of Technical Staff.

Hudgens earned a Ph.D. in Ceramic Engineering and a B.S. in Ceramic Engineering from Iowa State University, and has authored numerous publications and presentations.

Now focused on Creating the Next wave of advanced technological solutions at one of the nation’s leading research institutions, Hudgens continues to be recognized as a high-level thought leader with a focus on transformation, innovation, and growth.

Download Bio (PDF)