Leah C. Stokes

Leah Stokes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and a faculty affiliate at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She received her PhD and MA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), an MPA from Columbia University and a BSc from the University of Toronto. Her research examines public policy, public opinion and political behavior, with a focus on energy and environment. Her current book project studies interest groups’ role in changing US states’ energy policy, with a focus renewable portfolio standards and net-metering laws. Other ongoing qualitative and quantitative projects include examining protests against energy infrastructure, political staff in Congress, the Energy Foundation’s ability to change policy, environmentalists’ electoral participation, violence against environmental activists, and effective water conservation policy in California. To date, her research has been published in journals including The American Journal of Political Science, Energy Policy, Nature Energy, Global Environmental Politics, and Environmental Science & Technology. Prior to academia, Leah worked at the Parliament of Canada and Resources for the Future. Leah is also the co-Chair of the Scholars Strategy Network’s Working Group on Energy & Climate.