Louise Leakey

Dr. Louise Leakey is a Kenyan palaeoanthropologist and National Geographic Explorer at Large, best known for continuing her family’s storied legacy in the search for human origins. The daughter of Richard and Meave Leakey and granddaughter of Louis and Mary Leakey—all legendary figures in palaeoanthropology—Louise made her first hominid fossil discovery at age five. She earned her PhD in Biology from University College London and now leads the Koobi Fora Research Project, directing field expeditions in Kenya’s fossil-rich Turkana Basin. As a Research Professor of Anthropology at Stony Brook University and a Research Associate at the National Museums of Kenya, Louise’s work has led to major discoveries, including a new hominin species that pushed back the timeline of human diversity to 3.5 million years ago, and the 2024 publication of a 1.5-million-year-old hominin trackway in Science. Her research continues to reshape our understanding of early human evolution and the complexity of our ancestry. Deeply committed to education and outreach, Louise works with Kenyan communities through her organization, Leakey Journeys and Expeditions, engaging students and schools with science storytelling and fossil discovery. Raised in East Africa and deeply connected to its landscapes, she is also a licensed pilot and conservation advocate. Louise’s wider family has long been involved in East African public service, museums, and conservation. Her husband, Emmanuel de Merode, is Director of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he leads efforts to protect endangered mountain gorillas and promote sustainable development. Together, they are raising two daughters with a shared passion for nature, science, and Africa’s heritage. From fossil digs in the desert to classrooms in rural Kenya, Louise Leakey embodies the spirit of exploration, scientific inquiry, and dedication to understanding where we come from.