Dr. Christine Payne

Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Christine Payne. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Christine Payne is the Donald M. Alstadt Chair at the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Duke University. Her research focuses on understanding how cells interact with nanomaterials, addressing fundamental questions regarding nanoparticle-protein interactions and applied investigations into pulmonary responses to inhaled nanoparticles in a manufacturing setting. She employs an interdisciplinary approach that encompasses materials science, chemistry, biophysics, and lab automation. Professor Payne teaches various courses, including 'Quantum Mechanics', 'Statistical Mechanics', and a materials class titled 'Materials Science and Science Fiction'. She earned her S.B. in Chemistry from the University of Chicago in 1998 and completed her Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley in 2003. After her doctorate, she served as an NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University from 2003 to 2006. Throughout her career, Professor Payne has received several prestigious awards, including the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award and the DARPA Young Faculty Award, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Additionally, she served as a Jefferson Science Fellow at the U.S. Department of State in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation in 2024.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

2006-01-01 — Present

Duke University • Durham, NC

Teaches courses and leads research in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science.

Postdoctoral Fellow

2003-01-01 — 2006-01-01

Harvard University • Cambridge, MA

Engaged in advanced research in biophysics and nanotechnology.

Awards

#

Jefferson Science Fellows Program

#

Fellow

Courses

Research Independent Study in Mechanical Engineering Advanced Topics in Mechanical Engineering Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering Special Topics in Chemistry

Requirements for Duke University

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.2
TOEFL
Listening
Required:22
Reading
Required:22
Writing
Required:24
Speaking
Required:26
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Multivariable Calculus Introduction to Physics (mechanics) Introduction to Chemistry
Application Checklist
  • Transcripts
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Resume/CV
  • Application Fee ($95)
  • Video Introduction
Specialization Notes

Department of Biomedical Engineering (MS program)