Bryson Payne, Ph.D.
Dr. Bryson Payne is a professor of Computer Science and Cybersecurity and the Coordinator of Student Cyber Programs at UNG’s Dahlonega Campus.
Dr. Payne has been teaching at UNG for over 25 years, in addition to being an award-winning cyber coach, published author, and TEDx speaker, among other incredible accomplishments. And it all started with a UNG professor who believed in him when he was completing his undergraduate degree and encouraged him to pursue a graduate degree and become a graduate teaching assistant.
One of Dr. Payne’s favorite parts of every new semester is learning all his students’ names and a little about their background. It’s this care and attention to detail that make his students feel supported and encouraged in his classroom, and what lead to him being selected as the Alumni Distinguished Professor in 2021. It also makes watching his students graduate so much more special because he remembers how hard they’ve worked, what they’ve overcome, and all that they’ve accomplished.
Dr. Payne also coaches the CyberHawks, a cybersecurity competition team, and led them to back-to-back National Championships in the NSA’s Codebreaker Challenge in 2019 and 2020, as well as four other top six finishes in the past six years.
Sign up. Show up. Do your best.
Dr. Payne’s advice to future Nighthawks is to get involved early and make connections. Think about what you’d like your resume to look like in four years—, what clubs, competitions, and leadership roles you’d like to have—, and start right away.
