Leah Stokes

Leah Stokes is the Anton Vonk Associate Professor of Environmental Politics in the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She is affiliated with the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management and the Environmental Studies Department. For the 2023-2024 academic year, she is on leave at Harvard University’s Radcliffe Fellowship. Stokes holds a PhD in Public Policy from MIT, an MS in Political Science, an MPA in Environmental Science & Policy from Columbia University, and a BSc in Psychology and East Asian Studies from the University of Toronto.

Her research focuses on energy, climate, and environmental politics, with an emphasis on public policy, public opinion, and voting behavior. Key areas include climate change, renewable energy, water policy, and the political dynamics of clean energy transitions. Stokes has published in top journals like the American Political Science Review and Nature Energy, and her book Short Circuiting Policy won multiple awards, including the American Energy Society’s Best Energy Book of 2020.

Stokes frequently contributes to media outlets such as The New York Times and hosts the climate podcast A Matter of Degrees. She also serves as Senior Policy Counsel at Rewiring America. Her work emphasizes the intersection of policy, activism, and climate justice, including research on environmental activist violence and effective water conservation strategies.

• Scientific Awards:
• Best Energy Book of 2020 (American Energy Society)
• Don K. Price Book Award (APSA, 2021)
• Virginia Gray Book Award (APSA, 2021)
• Alan Rosenthal Prize (APSA, 2021)

Stokes advises on federal climate policy and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams at UCSB. Her research and advocacy highlight the urgency of systemic policy changes to address the climate crisis, blending academic rigor with practical solutions.