Melanie Wright

Ph.D. Student, Anthropology

Research Interests: Melanie studies how colonialism impacted Indigenous burning practices in the American Southwest using tree rings and charcoal analysis. By studying the change in fire patterns, her research seeks to contribute to current land management practices related to wildfires. 

Road to the Moody School: Melanie earned a B.S. in Anthropology with high distinction from SMU in 2023. For the next three years, she worked in northern New Mexico in fire ecology and archaeology, contributing both to management and research in the area. She presented her research in collaboration with the US Geological Society at the Southwest Fire Ecology Conference in 2024 and at the University of Arizona’s Laboratory of Tree Ring Research in 2025.