Leo Lester, Ph.D.

Leo Lester Headshot
Associate Professor

National Security Department/Homeland Security
Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences
Education

Ph.D., University of Reading

B.A. (Hons), University of Oxford

About Leo

Dr. Leo Lester joined the faculty of the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at the University of New Haven in 2017. He supports educational advisory work between the University of New Haven and overseas partners.

From 2013 to 2016, Dr. Lester was a research fellow at the King Abdullah Petrole um Studies and Research Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he led multidisciplinary research teams looking at energy governance in northeast Asia and energy relations between the Middle and Far East. Dr. Lester has also supported various academic outreach programs, mentoring students and acting as a bridge between academia and the private sector.

Outside academia and research, Dr. Lester has held senior roles in the energy sector, including Director of Operations and Finance, and Director of Strategy; he has also worked in portfolio development for an international oil and gas company. Beyond the Middle East, he has lived in Hong Kong, India, Thailand and the UK.

He has a doctorate in theoretical evolutionary biology from the University of Reading (2006) and a B.A. (Hons) in Biological Sciences from the University of Oxford (2003). He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a certified Financial Risk Manager and holds a qualification in project management. He has published two books, written over two dozen articles, and given keynote speeches on a range of topics across Asia.

Academic Positions
  • Associate Professor (2017 - Present) – Department of National Security, Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT
  • Research Fellow (2013 - 2016) – King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

In the Media

In the Media

Leo Lester, senior vice president for the University’s Riyadh campus, discusses plans for the University’s international branch campus in Saudi Arabia.

In the Media

Leo Lester, senior vice president for the University’s Riyadh campus, said Saudi Arabia is one of the most attractive markets for foreign universities due to regulatory changes that allow international institutions to enter the Kingdom.

In the Media

Leo Lester, associate professor of national security, co-wrote an op-ed on how the coronavirus may impact the energy markets.