Kevin M. Leyden is a Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Galway. He was previously the Director of West Virginia University's Institute for Public Affairs and an Honorary Research Professor of Social Science and Public Policy at the Whitaker Institute. Professor Leyden's research focuses primarily on the relationship between urban design, social capital, health, well-being, and urban liveability. His research has been published in the American Journal of Public Health, the Journal of the American Planning Association, Environmental Health Perspectives, Environment International, Social Science and Medicine, British Journal of Political Science. Urban Affairs Review, Health and Place, the American Journal of Health Promotion, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Proceedings of the Institute of Civil Engineers: Urban Design and Planning , and Policy Studies Journal , among others. He previously served as a partner with the World Health Organizations Large Analysis and Review of European Housing and Health Status (LARES), and as a Research Fellow with the Global Metropolitan Forum which examined the quality of life in ten major international metropolises. Professor Leyden recently led the research workgroup associated with a EU funded COST Transit and Urban Development grant titled People Friendly Cities in a Data Rich World. In addition, he was a member of the core team (Phase 1) of Galways bid to become the European Capital of Culture in 2020 which was successfully awarded in July 2016. From 2004 to 2009, he served as the Director of the Institute for Public Affairs and Coordinator of the Local Government Leadership Academy at West Virginia University. Both the Institute and the Academy worked with Public officials with the purpose of improving public policy.

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