Leakey was married to
Richard Leakey, a
palaeontologist. They have two children, Louise (born 1972) and Samira (born 1974).
Louise Leakey continues family traditions by conducting palaeontological research. Leakey initially studied
zoology and
marine zoology at the
University of North Wales. Her first contact with the Leakey family was working for the
Tigoni Primate Research Centre while studying for her PhD. At this time, the centre was being administered by
Louis Leakey. She received her PhD in zoology in 1968. Leakey is currently a Research Professor for the
Turkana Basin Institute (affiliated with
Stony Brook University). On 30 April 2013, Leakey was elected as a Foreign Associate of the US
National Academy of Sciences, with specialities of geology and
anthropology. This made Leakey the first Kenyan citizen and also the first woman citizen of an African country to be elected as a member of the National Academy of Sciences. She was elected to the
American Philosophical Society in 2017. == Position in the Leakey family ==