Breaking through the glass ceiling in the energy sector, The University of Texas at Austin's Leah Turner has been named the 2024 Women in Energy Pinnacle Award winner. Turner has been recognized for her leadership of the GeoFORCE Texas outreach program, which has been fostering a new wave of STEM enthusiasts, according to the Jackson School of Geosciences.
Not just a titleholder but a trailblazer, Turner, leads multiple initiatives to ensure students not only aspire to but succeed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. The GeoFORCE program focuses on students from diverse communities across Austin, Houston, and Southwest Texas – all in an effort, to cultivate the STEM leaders of tomorrow. "I am truly honored to be named the 2024 Women in Energy Pinnacle Award Recipient," Turner said in a statement obtained by the Jackson School of Geosciences website.
Her dedication to uplifting others has not gone unnoticed, with Turner expressing her gratitude towards the Jackson School of Geosciences for endorsing her vision. Turner also extended her thanks to SLB and Hart Energy for their acknowledgment, deeming it a "testimony to the work of our entire team."
Since joining the Jackson School in 2018, Turner's academic journey has been equally significant, having earned a doctorate in higher education from Ohio University as a Southern Regional Education Board Doctoral Scholar. The award, presented by the global technology firm SLB, and hosted by Hart Energy will be bestowed on Turner on March 8, fittingly coinciding with International Women’s Day during the Influential Women in Energy Luncheon in Houston, as per the Jackson School of Geosciences website.
