Kelsey Leonard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kelsey Leonard
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| Nationality | Shinnecock Nation |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (B.A.) University of Oxford (M.Sc.) Duquesne University School of Law (J.D.) McMaster University (Ph.D.) |
| Academic work | |
| Institutions | University of Waterloo |
Kelsey Leonard is a brilliant researcher who works on how we manage and protect water. She is especially focused on making sure that Indigenous communities have their rights to water respected. She teaches at the University of Waterloo in Canada.
Kelsey made history in 2012 when she became the first Native American woman to earn a science degree from the famous University of Oxford in England.
Who is Kelsey Leonard?
Kelsey Leonard is a proud member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation. She grew up on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Long Island, New York. Her background helps her understand the special connection Indigenous people have with the land and water.
Her Amazing Education
Kelsey has studied at some of the world's best universities:
- In 2010, she was the first person from the Shinnecock Nation to graduate from Harvard University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, studying how societies and cultures work.
- She then went to the University of Oxford, where she earned a Master of Science (MSc) degree. Her studies focused on water science, how water policies are made, and how water is managed.
- For her master's project, she wrote about "Water Quality For Native Nations: Achieving A Trust Responsibility." This means she looked at how water on tribal lands needs better protection and how governments should help.
- Kelsey also earned a law degree (JD) from Duquesne University School of Law.
- She later completed her PhD in political science at McMaster University.
Protecting Our Water
Today, Kelsey Leonard is an assistant professor at the University of Waterloo. She continues her important work on water governance and Indigenous water rights. This means she helps find ways to manage water fairly and make sure everyone has access to clean, safe water, especially Indigenous communities.
Kelsey is also known for her powerful TED Talk. It's called "Why lakes and rivers should have the same rights as humans." In this talk, she explains that if we treat natural places like rivers and lakes as if they have rights, just like people do, we might protect them better. As of October 2023, her talk has been watched over 3.5 million times!
