Leyla Tiglay is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in International and Public Affairs at Brown University's Watson Institute and continues to serve as an Ernest May Fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School, Belfer Center since 2022.

Leyla received her Ph.D. in History from the Ohio State University in 2024. She holds an MA in Political Science from Boston University, an MA in International Studies and Diplomacy from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies, and a BA in International Relations from Istanbul University, School of Political Science. Previously, Leyla received predoctoral fellowships from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and the Bush School of Government's Center for Grand Strategy. Currently also an affiliate at the Mershon Center for International Security Studies, her research has garnered support from various institutions, including the Clements Center for National Security at the University of Texas at Austin and the Wilson Center's Nuclear Proliferation International History Project.

Before embarking on her doctoral journey, Leyla worked and studied in several countries, including Türkiye, Belgium, Cameroon, and the United Kingdom.