About
Background, interests, and curriculum vitae
About
Caitlin Wingerd is a Ph.D. candidate in Microbiology at The Ohio State University, where
she conducts research under the mentorship of Justin North. She earned her M.S. in
Microbiology from Ohio State in 2024 and her B.S. in Biology from Linfield University in
2020. Her research focuses on microbial metabolism, with particular interest in how
bacteria adapt their metabolic pathways across diverse environments.
Following her undergraduate studies, Caitlin began her career in industry at Element
Materials Technology (VR Analytical), where she evaluated the safety of medical
plastics in drug product applications. In this role, she developed hands-on experience
with analytical instrumentation, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, and
client-facing data reporting.
In 2022, Caitlin joined the Microbiology Ph.D. program at Ohio State to further develop
her scientific and leadership skills. She is particularly motivated to apply her combined
industry and academic training to lead research initiatives, solve complex problems, and
contribute to data-driven decision-making. Her experience has reinforced the
importance of approaching scientific challenges with creativity, technical rigor, and a
strong foundation in critical thinking.