Leah Stokes, Associate Professor of Political Science at UCSB, received the prestigious Schneider Award for Outstanding Science Communication. Named for outspoken climate scientist Stephen H. Schneider, one of the founding fathers of climatology, the award “recognizes a natural or social scientist who has made extraordinary scientific contributions and communicated that knowledge to a broad public in a clear, compelling fashion.” Stokes researches public policy, public opinion and political behavior, with a focus on energy, environment and climate change. In addition to her research, published in top journals and distilled into her 2020 book, “Short Circuiting Policy” (Oxford University Press), Stokes has also been recognized for her climate advocacy, appearing in The New York Times, The Atlantic and The Washington Post.

“I felt honored to be in the company of the other incredible climate science communicators who have won the award in the past, such as fellow Canadian Katherine Hayhoe, as well as Naomi Oreskes, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Ben Santer,” said Stokes, the Anton Vonk Associate Professor in Environmental Politics in the UCSB Department of Political Science. “I feel motivated to use my platform to break things down and share them in a way that’s easy to grasp — I’ve always believed that when people understand an issue, they’re more likely to take action. And with something as urgent as climate change, we need everyone to be part of the solution.”

“I cannot imagine a more deserving recipient of this award, which honors an exceptional ‘next generation’ science communicator,” said Charles Hale, Dean of Social Sciences at UCSB. “She is tireless, courageous, and uniquely gifted in her ability — rare among scholars — to distill complex research-based ideas into compelling, media-appropriate messages.”