Wanda Payne is an associate professor of mathematics at Tennessee State University. Prior to joining the Department of Mathematical Sciences in 2014, Wanda briefly served as a visiting assistant professor of mathematics at The University of Mississippi. Her scholarly interests include STEM student success in Calculus, equity in mathematics education, and topics in graph theory. Wanda has presented some of her research in these areas at the Tennessee STEM Education Research Conference and the We All Rise Conference on Equity and Completion. She has received funding from the Tennessee Board of Regents for revitalizing Calculus I and from the Mathematical Association of America for developing a graph theory student research group. She also co-organized a workshop entitled “Investigations and Strategies that Positively Influence Student Success in Undergraduate Mathematics” for a Mathematical Association of America sectional meeting.

Wanda obtained her undergraduate degree in mathematics from Mississippi Valley State University, her master’s degree in mathematics from Jackson State University under the supervision of Aouina Mohktar, and her doctoral degree in mathematics from The University of Mississippi under the supervision of William Staton. Wanda is a member of the National Association of Mathematics and the Mathematical Association of America.