News

2020

• Started as Assistant Professor of Biology, Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH
  
  

• Co-authored paper published: Brown, A.J., Payne, C.J., White, P.S. and Peet, R.K., 2020. Shade tolerance and mycorrhizal type may influence sapling susceptibility to conspecific negative density dependence. Journal of Ecology, 108(1), pp.325-336.
• Faculty Representative, Tree Campus USA Committee, Malone University. Campus designation renewed for 2020!
• Faculty member, Pendle Hill Mentorship+Advising Working Group, Malone University
• Faculty member, Student Research Symposium Committee, Malone University
• Faculty member, Earth Day Planning Committee, Malone University

2019

• Facilitator, “Academic Engagement” ExPos for first year students, Malone University
• Facilitator, hour-long campus-wide Study Skills + Academic Engagement workshop, Malone University
• Led a Career Workshop for science majors, Malone University
• Presented poster titled “Examining Long-Term Ecological Change in Southeastern Forests” at the 3rd Annual meeting of the Society of Catholic Scientists, Notre Dame, IN. June 7-9, 2019
• Awarded Malone Summer Scholar’s Grant
• Elected site Moderator on Biology Stack Exchange
• Panel member, “Climate change: A Christian’s perspective on a global problem” panel discussion, Malone University (April 2019)
• Co-created and co-led a two-day Career Workshop for science majors, Malone University

Fall 2018

• Began position as Assistant Professor of Biology, Malone University, Canton, OH

Summer 2018

• Awarded PhD in Ecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Presented “Long-term biomass trends in a North Carolina Piedmont forest” at the 103rd Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, New Orleans, LA.
• Awarded J.T. Callahan Student Travel Award from the Ecological Society of America Long-term Studies Section
• Doctoral Defense: LONG-TERM TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF THE DUKE FOREST

-> Recording available on YouTube.

Spring 2018

• Received Eugene P. Odum Award (sponsored by the SE Chapter of the Ecological Society of America) for best oral presentation on ecological research at the Association of Southeastern Biologists 79th Annual Meeting, Myrtle Beach, SC
• Presented “MultiEDA: An interactive exploratory data viewer for multivariate plot-based inventory data” at the Association of Southeastern Biologists 79th Annual Meeting, Myrtle Beach, SC.

Fall 2017

• Adjunct Biology Professor at Shaw University in Raleigh, NC.

Spring 2017

• Led “Intro to Shiny” Workshop at the UNC Biology Symposium (May 2017)
• Presented “Long Term Forest Change in Duke Forest” at the 5th Annual Environment and Ecology Research Symposium

Spring 2016

• Presented “Analyzing long-term forest dynamics in a North Carolina Piedmont forest using permanent-sample plots” at the Association of Southeastern Biologists 77th Annual Meeting, Concord, NC.
• Awarded Graduate Student Support Award, Association of Southeastern Biologists

Fall 2015

• Participated in Future Faculty Fellowship Program, Center for Faculty Excellence, UNC Chapel Hill
• Advisory Committee, Southeast Chapter of the Ecological Society of America
• By‐laws Revision Committee, Southeast Chapter of the Ecological Society of America

Spring / Summer 2015

• Attended and presented research at the 100th annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, August 9-14, 2015 in Baltimore, Md. (August 2015)
• Awarded J.T. Callahan Student Travel Award from the Ecological Society of America Long-term Studies Section (July 2015)
• Awarded a 2015 STEM Scholarship from Great Lakes National Scholarship Program (July 2015)
• “Material, Food, & Waste” working group member, UNC Strategic Sustainability Plan (Summer 2015)
• Created and designed new website for Southeast Chapter of Ecological Society of America (June 2015)
• Awarded Dissertation Completion Fellowship from the UNC Graduate School. (April 2015)
• Selected to participate in the Future Faculty Fellowship Program through the UNC Center for Faculty Excellence next fall. (April 2015)
• Elected Webmaster for Southeast Chapter of ESA. (April 2015)
• Attended and presented research at the 76th annual meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists April 1-4, 2015 in Chattanooga, TN. (April 2015)

Fall 2014

• Started part-time position as recycling educator and ambassador for Orange County, NC. (ongoing)
• Presented two invited talks at Saint Vincent College on September 25 & 26, 2014 about my research and preparing undergraduates for research, internships, and graduate school. (September 2014)
• Data Entry Solicitation:

*NOT ELIGIBLE FOR WORK STUDY? STILL APPLY!! — VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!
(Can Work Remotely!)

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Spring / Summer 2014

• Resampled Duke Forest permanent sample mapped plot tree growth data for PhD.
  • Managed and mentored 10 volunteer undergraduate research assistants.
  • Measured ~61,000 trees in 16.2 ha.
• Received a 2014 STEM Scholarship from Great Lakes National Scholarship Program (August 2014).
• Attended and presented research at the 75th annual meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists April 2-5, in Spartanburg, SC. (April 2014)

Fall 2013

• Presented an invited talk at Saint Vincent College about preparing undergraduates for research, internships, and graduate school. (September 2013)
• Presented research to a public audience at the Duke Forest Annual Research Tour Dec 13, 2013.

Spring / Summer 2013

• Resampled Duke Forest permanent sample plot tree growth data for PhD.
  • Managed and mentored 7 volunteer undergraduate research assistants.
  • Measured DBH/height of ~10,000 trees in 2 ha.
• Presented an invited talk at Saint Vincent College about preparing undergraduates for research, internships, and graduate school. (April 2013)

Fall 2012

• Received a 2012 STEM Scholarship from Great Lakes National Scholarship Program (August 2012).

Spring / Summer 2012

• Resampled Duke Forest permanent sample plot tree growth data for PhD.
  • Managed and mentored 2 volunteer undergraduate research assistants.
  • Measured DBH/height of ~3,000 trees in 1 ha.
• Participated in Life as Art event at NC Botanical Garden, showcasing photos of scientific research to the public

Fall 2011

• Started PhD program at UNC. (August 2011)
• Awarded a Mrs. William C. Coker Fellowship for plant/botanical research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, $22,000
• Paper published:
  • Payne, Christopher J. 2011. Bat foraging in riparian zones: responses to stream quality, insect abundance and season. Proceedings of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, 25: 897-905.