معرفی
Caitlin R. Proctor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering (ABE) at Purdue University, with a joint appointment in the School of Environmental & Ecological Engineering (EEE). Her research focuses on microbiome engineering to enhance public health and environmental sustainability, particularly in aquatic systems such as drinking water infrastructure and engineered environments. She leads the Proctor Lab, which investigates microbial ecology, biofilm dynamics, and water quality management in premise plumbing systems. Her work addresses challenges like pathogen proliferation, chemical leaching from pipes, and contamination risks in residential and institutional buildings.
Dr. Proctor holds a Ph.D. in Life Sciences from ETH Zurich (Switzerland) and an M.S. from Virginia Tech. Her research integrates microbiology, environmental engineering, and data-driven approaches to develop solutions for safe and sustainable water systems. Key areas include mitigating stagnation-related waterborne pathogens, evaluating pipe material impacts, and improving disaster-response strategies for water safety.
Labs & Teams: The Proctor Lab collaborates across disciplines to advance understanding of microbial communities in engineered systems. Their efforts aim to translate scientific insights into practical applications for protecting human and environmental health.
