Christopher (Chris) M. Smith, PhD, MSN, RN, GCQM, is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, College of Health & Human Services, School of Nursing. Dr. Smith earned a PhD in Nursing Science from East Carolina University. He also earned a post-master's certificate in Quantitative Methods for Social and Behavioral Sciences in ECU's Department of Psychology, where he cultivated interests in psychometrics and latent variable modeling. Dr. Smith's primary research is in cardiometabolic health in rural populations, with a focused interest in metabolic and inflammatory mechanisms that drive cardiovascular and blood pressure outcomes. Most recently, he received the 2024 Emerging Leader in Science award from Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences.