Hi there!
I’m a researcher and science facilitator with expertise in marine ecology, long-term research, and collaborating across disciplines and career levels.
My PhD work focused on how long-term studies can accelerate discovery in the deep ocean while also training the next generation of scientists. Read more about my research interests, or explore my projects.
I work as the Science Facilitation Coordinator for the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. I am also available for hire as an independent science facilitator for working groups, organizations, or research teams looking to get the most out of their collaborative projects. Please contact me if you are interested in this service.
Selected work
Reproductive success and offspring survival decline for female elephant seals past prime age. Payne, Czapanskiy, Kilpatrick, Robinson, … & Beltran. 2024. Journal of Animal Ecology.
Elephant seals as ecosystem sentinels for the northeast Pacific Ocean twilight zone. Beltran, Payne, Kilpatrick, Hale, … & Costa. 2025. Science.
Long-term research on elephant seals offers opportunities for undergraduates. Payne. 2024. Animal Ecology in Focus.
Education
University of California, Santa Cruz
PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
San Francisco State University
MS in Interdisciplinary Marine and Estuarine Science
University of California, Berkeley
BA in Cognitive Science