Gabrielle A. Russo has been appointed interim director of the Turkana Basin Institute (TBI), effective October 21. Russo, who is an associate professor of anthropology and previously served as TBI’s deputy director, will take over following the departure of Dino Martins. Martins stepped down to focus on his research after leading new research initiatives and expanding professional support staff at TBI in areas such as human resources, finance, logistics, and field operations.
Russo has been involved with TBI for several years and conducts paleontological fieldwork at Miocene sites in the Turkana Basin that are known for their ape fossils. As deputy director, she was responsible for overseeing daily operations at TBI Stony Brook, managing relationships with stakeholders, and organizing events to promote TBI’s international reputation in human evolution and paleoscience research.
A formal steering committee will support Russo during her interim tenure. The committee includes Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith, TBI Research Professor Louise Leakey, and TBI Director Emeritus Lawrence Martin. Gregory Henkes has also taken on a new role as associate director after serving as the institute’s research fund officer.
Stony Brook University plans to begin an international search for a permanent director soon in collaboration with the TBI International Advisory Board.
The Turkana Basin Institute was founded through a partnership between Richard Leakey and Stony Brook University to advance research in Kenya’s Lake Turkana Basin, which is recognized as a significant area for scientific study.