Cassidy Puckett

Cassidy Puckett is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Emory University, affiliated with the Center for Mind, Brain, and Culture and collaborating with Tufts University’s Center for Engineering Education and Outreach. She holds a PhD in Sociology from Northwestern University (2015), an MA in Education from Stanford University (2004), and a BA in American Civilization from Brown University (2000). Her work focuses on technological change and inequality, particularly adolescents’ 'digital adaptability' and its implications for education, health, and social stratification.

Her research includes projects in Chicago Public Schools analyzing how cultural practices influence digital adaptability, and a Boston-based study on detracking in high schools and its impact on technology engagement. In healthcare, she investigates disparities in medical device use among adolescents with Type 1 diabetes. She teaches courses like SOC 389 (Digital Inequality) and SOC 502 (Qualitative Methods), and has developed innovative pedagogical strategies using podcasting and flipped classrooms.

Dr. Puckett’s awards include the Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship and NSF grants. Her book Redefining Geek (2022) explores cultural biases in tech-savviness. Key grants include a 2023 NSF award for studying medical device disparities. She actively engages in public scholarship through TED talks, podcasts, and consultations with educational institutions like Georgia’s Department of Education.

Her service roles include leadership in the ASA Communication, Information Technology, and Media Sociology Section, and mentorship of over 20 graduate and undergraduate students. She advises on policy initiatives such as digital adaptability dashboards for high schools, bridging academic research with real-world educational equity efforts.