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Black History Month Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Adam Payne
Adam Payne Spotlight
"I always enjoy when students take the opportunity to lean into difficult conversations and topics. Their capacity to express themselves and to learn from new perspectives including those expressed by their classmates is extremely impressive. I feel very fortunate to be a member of the Wentworth community." 

What courses are you teaching?
I teach Industrial / Organizational Psychology and the Psychology of Leadership.

How have your interests, research, or experience led you to your field?
When I was in the 5th grade, we had to think about what we wanted to do in life and express it on construction paper in the shape of a key, as in a key to our future. I put down that I wanted to help people and entertain people. Happy to be living that now through work that focuses on the human condition.

What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my son and the work that I do with life management to help people and organizations thrive, especially through difficult times.

What is one interesting fact about you?
I am a musician and have recorded six albums.

Name one exciting thing that is happening in your classroom.
I always enjoy when students take the opportunity to lean into difficult conversations and topics. Their capacity to express themselves and to learn from new perspectives including those expressed by their classmates is extremely impressive. I feel very fortunate to be a member of the Wentworth community.

Share your favorite quote for Black History Month.
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."  - Martin Luther King, Jr.

List of recent publications and other accomplishments (2019 - 2021):

  • Payne, A. General business musicians: An investigation of initial band formation. Eliva Press.  (2020).
  • Payne, A. In tune with the xerophyte: examining leadership during an original music production process. Journal of Leadership Education, 19(3). (2020)
  • Payne, A. Stepping Back to Let the Learning Happen: A Learning Practice in Higher Education. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 19(8). (2019).
  • Payne, A. The Xerophyte. [Audio CD]. Boston, MA: Funk Majal. (2019).