Chance Glenn
Dr. Chance Michael Glenn is a distinguished engineer, researcher, and academic leader whose career spans nearly four decades at the intersection of science, technology, and education. A true polymath, he has founded companies, led academic institutions, published innovative research, and pioneered novel approaches to spacetime exploration.
Academic Leadership and Education
Dr. Glenn currently serves as a Professor of Electrical Engineering at Alabama A&M University, where he advances teaching, research, and leadership development. He is also a tenured full professor of Electrical Engineering and previously served as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at the University of Houston-Victoria, guiding academic strategy and institutional growth for nearly five years.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, and both a Master’s and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. To complement his technical expertise, he earned a Management Development Certificate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Industry and Entrepreneurial Ventures
Alongside his academic career, Dr. Glenn has founded and led several organizations. He is the President of Morningbird Space Corporation, a company devoted to developing cutting-edge technologies for the space industry. He also founded the Morningbird Foundation, where he served as Chairman of the Board, championing educational equity, STEM opportunity, and the expansion of scientific literacy.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Glenn was the Dean of the College of Engineering, Technology, and Physical Sciences at Alabama A&M University and the Founding President of the AAMU-RISE Foundation, where he cultivated research and development opportunities from federal and state sources. Before entering academia, he worked as an engineer at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, where he spent 11 years developing technologies in physics and engineering.
He is also the founder of Syncrodyne Systems Corporation, a company that commercialized research in nonlinear dynamical systems theory.
Research and Innovations
Dr. Glenn’s research portfolio has spanned an impressive range of subjects: from chaos theory and material science in additive manufacturing to groundbreaking explorations in general relativity. He holds patents, has presented internationally, and continues to push the boundaries of experimental science.
His most recent and ambitious work centers on Experimental Spacetime Distortion (ESD) — an attempt to demonstrate verifiable, repeatable laboratory evidence of spacetime manipulation. In his 2025 paper, Experimental Spacetime Distortion: Generating Gravitational Waves in the Laboratory, published in the European Journal of Engineering and Technology Research, Dr. Glenn describes experiments using a high-energy spark gap and laser interferometry to detect distortions. The results — significant fringe movements at energy densities approaching 10¹² Joules/m³ — suggest the possibility of spacetime compression and gravitational effects.
This research challenges the conventional understanding of the Alcubierre drive, which traditionally relies on negative energy density to warp spacetime. Instead, Dr. Glenn theorizes that creating a gravitational well through extremely high energy densities may be sufficient for propulsion, sidestepping the exotic requirement for negative energy. In this framework, a craft would be propelled as spacetime naturally expands to fill the vacuum — an elegant reinterpretation of Alcubierre’s warp concept.
Warp Drive Experiments with Fluids
In addition to his spark-gap experiments, Dr. Glenn has explored warp drive analogues in fluid dynamics, specifically using bubbles suspended in ethylene glycol to model spacetime distortions. Ethylene glycol, with its viscous and dielectric properties, provides a controlled environment where electromagnetic fields can be coupled with bubble dynamics. These experiments simulate the way regions of altered energy density might move through a medium, offering insight into how a “warp bubble” could theoretically contract and expand spacetime around an object. By tracking bubble formation, displacement, and stability within energized fluid chambers, Dr. Glenn has sought experimental parallels to Alcubierre’s mathematical framework.
Though still at an early stage, this line of research provides a novel laboratory-scale analogy to warp field physics, complementing his interferometry work and offering an additional pathway for testing theories of propulsion through spacetime engineering.
Broader Implications
Beyond propulsion, his research suggests a potential bridge between electromagnetism and gravitation, opening avenues for propellantless propulsion, fusion stabilization, and new energy systems. His collaborations include exploring rotational Alcubierre-drive concepts with Philip Lenz and fusion applications with Greg Hodgson’s group, while also pursuing support from the National Science Foundation to expand this groundbreaking research.
The UAP Connection and Beyond
Dr. Glenn also acknowledges the broader implications of his work. While his experiments are focused on laboratory physics, he notes that the principles could shed light on the extraordinary flight characteristics associated with Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs). The possibility that advanced technologies — whether human or non-human — manipulate spacetime for propulsion is a compelling consideration. In interviews and podcasts, he has even explored the simulation hypothesis, where the laws of physics may be subject to manipulation by a higher-order “programmer” of reality.
STEM Education and Outreach
Passionate about inspiring the next generation, Dr. Glenn has developed a 3D-printable humanoid robot through the Morningbird Foundation. Known as the AT&T robot, it introduces students to robotics, CAD design, 3D printing, coding, engineering, and electronics. Affordable and accessible, the robot is designed to engage young minds in STEM fields, broadening participation and sparking curiosity.
Beyond his projects, Dr. Glenn has been a strong advocate for science communication. He hosted the “Intelligent Conversations” podcast, where he explored issues of science, technology, education, and society, and co-hosted That’s My Opinion, bringing humor and accessibility to scientific discussion.
Philosophy and Advocacy
At the heart of Dr. Glenn’s work lies a guiding philosophy: that the benefits and blessings of space exploration must serve all humankind. He believes the rapidly expanding space economy must grow inclusively, ensuring that advances in science and engineering empower people from all backgrounds.
He has dedicated his career to championing opportunities in STEM fields, especially for underrepresented groups, and continues to collaborate with companies, agencies, and organizations to advance diversity and inclusion in science and technology.
A Spark of Hope for the Future
Dr. Chance Glenn’s work represents a bold step forward in our understanding of spacetime and propulsion. His innovative spark-gap experiments, fluid-based warp analogues, and reinterpretation of the Alcubierre drive not only offer a potential path toward faster-than-light travel but also reframe long-standing theoretical challenges with elegant new solutions.
Coupled with his entrepreneurial spirit, collaborative outlook, and dedication to education, Dr. Glenn’s legacy is shaping up to be one of profound impact — advancing both the science of the cosmos and the opportunities available to future generations.
The future, as he demonstrates, may very well be powered by a spark — or even a bubble.