Leah Stokes  Leah C. Stokes is a Canadian political scientist and expert on environmental policy. She is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Stokes investigates the politics of energy and environmental policy in the United States. She regularly writes about energy and climate policy for newspapers and on social media. Stokes earned her undergraduate degree in psychology and East Asian studies at the University of Toronto. She completed a Master of Public Administration at Columbia University. After graduating Stokes worked at and Resources for the Future. She went on to work at the Parliament of Canada. Her role involved policy analysis for Members of Parliament working on the Environment and Sustainable Development Committee, and the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. In 2010 Stokes moved to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned a master's degree and a doctorate under the supervision Lawrence Susskind. At Massachusetts Institute of Technology Stokes created environmental policy curriculum, including "The Mercury Game", a treaty negotiation that has been used by over 100 universities around the world. In 2015 Stokes joined the faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research focuses on energy policy and environmental policy in the United States. She has investigated the interaction between public opinion and policy making on renewable energy. She has also looked at what determines public opinion in particular states, and how the design and presentation of Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) changes public support for a particular policy. She has also published research on backlash against renewable energy projects. Her recent work examines Congressional staff and their understanding of public opinion. Her awards and honours include:   Her publications include:  She has written for The Guardian, The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times, and her work is regularly cited in the media, including in The Washington Examiner, Mashable, New Hampshire Public Radio, the National Observer, and E&E News. She has appeared on the Scholars Strategy Network podcast "No Jargon".