The Bearded Prof.

Sam Hodges, Ph.D., P.E.

Engineering, taught by someone who still does it.

I'm a working water and wastewater engineer and an engineering professor. I help students pass the exams, teams finish the design, and departments build courses that hold up in practice.

See the course catalog Come to office hours
Sam Hodges, smiling, with a long red-brown beard and a blue plaid shirt, in a university hallway
Fig. 1. The beard in question.
Ph.D., Civil EngineeringUniversity of Arkansas, 2023
Licensed P.E.Arkansas and Tennessee
Published researchScience, Environmental Science & Technology, Water Research

Services

Course catalog

No prerequisites beyond a real problem to solve. Pick what fits, or come to office hours and we'll work out what you need.

BP 101

FE Exam Prep

Tutoring for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, built around the NCEES specifications and the reference handbook you'll have on test day.

For
Engineering students and recent graduates
You leave with
A study plan and a clear read on your weak spots
BP 210

Capstone & Design Review

A practicing engineer's eyes on your design before it reaches the people grading or building it.

For
Senior design teams and capstone instructors
You leave with
Specific comments you can act on
BP 320

Course & Curriculum Development

Syllabi, assignments, and problem sets for civil and environmental engineering, shaped by what the work looks like after graduation.

For
Engineering departments and faculty
You leave with
Course materials ready to teach from
BP 330

AI in the Engineering Classroom

Practical help using AI for feedback and course work without handing over your judgment as an instructor.

For
Faculty and teaching teams
You leave with
A workflow that fits your course and your school's policy
BP 499

Guest Lectures & Workshops

Talks on water, licensure, and the gap between design and construction, for a classroom or a conference room.

For
Classes, student chapters, and professional groups
You leave with
An engaged room and something to use on Monday

Pricing depends on the work. To inquire, email sam@beardedprof.com.

About

Why listen to the beard

As a teenager, I worked in my father's construction business. The complaint I heard most was about designs that looked fine on paper and fell apart in the field. That complaint still shapes my work: I keep theory and reality on speaking terms.

I earned a Ph.D. studying PFAS passive sampling, designed spring capture projects in the Ecuadorian jungle, and drilled 30-meter wells in Senegal. Today I design municipal water and wastewater systems and teach engineering. I teach because good work isn't measured only by what gets built. It's also measured by the competence you leave behind.

My goal is the same whether you're a student, a professor, or a project team: to equip you to solve the next problem without me.

Taught at the university level

  • Licensing & Certification
  • Hydraulics & Fluid Dynamics
  • Hydrology
  • Environmental Engineering I & II
  • Project & Construction Management
  • Senior Capstone Design
Portfolio, CV, and publications at samuelhodges.com

Field notes

Read the blog

Thoughts and ideas about teaching and engineering.

Visit the blog

Contact

Office hours

The door's open. Tell me what you're working on and we'll figure out whether I can help.

sam@beardedprof.com