Emily Puckett

Emily Puckett is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Memphis, where she joined in 2018. She holds a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Missouri with a dissertation on the phylogeography of American black bears. She completed postdoctoral training at Fordham University and Michigan State University.

Her research program focuses on demography and comparative genomics within the bear family, employing approaches in phylogeography, evolutionary genomics, population genetics, and conservation genetics. She teaches courses including Topics in Evolution-Speciation and Genetics.

The Puckett Lab investigates evolutionary forces shaping genetic variation across species ranges, with particular emphasis on spatial patterns of functional genomic diversity in American black bears.