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, takes over following the departure of Dino Martins. Martins stepped down to focus on his research after leading efforts to develop new research programs and expand professional support staff at TBI in areas such as human resources, finance, logistics, and field operations.
Russo has a longstanding association with TBI and conducts paleontological fieldwork at Miocene sites in the Turkana Basin that are known for ape fossils. As deputy director, she helped manage daily operations at TBI Stony Brook, maintained relationships with stakeholders, and organized events to promote TBI’s role 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, formerly the institute’s research fund officer, will serve as associate director.
Stony Brook University plans to start an international search for a permanent director soon in partnership with the TBI International Advisory Board.
The Turkana Basin Institute was created through a joint venture between Richard Leakey and Stony Brook University to advance research in Kenya’s Lake Turkana Basin.
