Catherine Ward

Catherine Ward serves as a Science Instructor and Biology Lab Coordinator at Durham Technical Community College, actively contributing to the HHMI Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program.

Her research and teaching specialization centers on bacteriophage discovery and microbiology, with documented expertise in working with Gordonia terrae and Gordonia rubripertincta bacterial hosts. She develops curriculum for undergraduate phage genomics through the SEA-PHAGES network, emphasizing hands-on laboratory techniques in microbial evolution and genomic analysis.

Ward has co-instructed multiple sections of BIO111, including Fall 2019 (18 students, 8 weekly hours) and Fall 2021 (14 students, 6 weekly hours), maintaining consistent engagement with freshman cohorts in phage isolation and characterization protocols.

As Biology Lab Coordinator, she oversees laboratory operations and instructional support for biology courses, integrating authentic research experiences into the community college curriculum through the national SEA-PHAGES initiative.