Meet Leah Turner, Ph.D.

Leah’s path started in the lab. She earned a B.S. in Biology and an M.S. in Biotechnology, both from West Virginia State University, before completing a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Ohio University. That last step turned her attention from the science itself to the systems and people behind it: how institutions build programs, secure funding, and create access for the students and researchers who come next.

That progression from bench science to the study of higher education to strategy and partnership building is what makes Leah’s approach distinct. She understands the content of technical, research-driven work, and she understands the infrastructure that lets that work survive and scale. Leah has over a decade of experience in higher education and has secured support from major stakeholders including the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and leading energy-industry companies. Programs under her direction have driven students to pursue STEM degrees, particularly geoscience, at rates that significantly outperform the national average.

Leah was named a 2024 Oil & Gas Investor Influential Women in Energy Pinnacle Award winner in recognition of her impact.