Leo Lester

Leo Lester, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the National Security Department at the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, University of New Haven. He specializes in energy governance, international relations, and financial risk management, with a unique interdisciplinary background bridging biological sciences and security studies.

Education

• Ph.D. in Theoretical Evolutionary Biology, University of Reading
• B.A. (Hons) in Biological Sciences, University of Oxford
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) & Certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM)

Research & Expertise

Dr. Lester's work spans energy policy, homeland security, and cross-sector collaboration. His research focuses on:

• Energy governance in Northeast Asia
• Energy relations between Middle East and Far East
• Financial risk frameworks in energy sectors
• Academic-industry partnerships

He has published two books, over two dozen articles, and delivered keynote speeches across Asia.

Professional Experience

• Senior energy sector roles: Director of Operations & Finance, Director of Strategy
<15 years of academic advisory work connecting University of New Haven with global partners
• Led multidisciplinary research teams at King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (2013-2016)

International Engagement

Lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, and the UK, with extensive expertise in cross-cultural academic and energy sector collaboration.