Leela Bryce
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Doctor Leela Bryce is an Indian member of the International Oversight Advisory, formerly of the Atlantis Expedition.
History
Born in India, Doctor Bryce became an American citizen through marriage, while studying for a PhD in ecology and environmental science at Cornell University. She became involved with the Stargate Program because many of the ideas proposed in her thesis overlapped with examples of offworld geo-engineering, such as the Touchstone on Madrona. While not part of the initial Atlantis Expedition, she was selected as part of the second wave of soldiers and scientists: of particular interest was the intense storms and other weather phenomena native to Lantea, which Bryce hoped to study in the interests of better understanding the formation of hurricanes on Earth. (SG1: "Touchstone"; ATL: "The Intruder", "Grace Under Pressure"; SGR: "The Arrow")
Doctor Bryce was aboard the Daedalus when a Wraith virus left over from the Battle of Atlantis gained control of the ship. When Doctor Rodney McKay became trapped in a submerged, malfunctioning Puddle Jumper in Lantea's ocean, Doctor Bryce was one of the scientists involved in modelling ocean currents and helping to triangulate his potential depth and location. (ATL: "The Intruder", "Grace Under Pressure")
With the rest of the Atlantis Expedition, Doctor Bryce returned to Earth following the discovery and return of the crew of the Lantean ship Tria. While she was glad to be home, reuniting with her husband and daughter, the return had come a few months early and Bryce was not yet ready to return to a comparatively normal life. Having been regarded as a representative of India during her time with the Expedition, she was approached by the International Oversight Advisory as a candidate to represent her nation within the expanding organisation. She accepted; as part of her evaluation, she participated in a routine visit to the Beta Site, allowing the IOA to investigate Stargate Command's more humanitarian and non-military activities. (SGR: "The Arrow")
Behind the Scenes
Doctor Bryce is portrayed by Nimet Kanki in 1 episode of Stargate Atlantis. She also appeared in Sanctuary, Battlestar Galactica (and Caprica), Continuum, The 4400, and Fringe.
Cornell University was chosen for her backstory because it is the almer mater of Bill Nye, who appeared as himself in an eco-themed episode of Atlantis.
She is not given a first name on screen. Leela was chosen because it can be an Americanised spelling of Lila, and to avoid falling into the trap of overcompensating with a more stereotypically Indian name.
Her husband (Morgan Bryce) and her daughter (Mercedes) are a reference to Mercedes Bryce Morgan, the director and executive producer of Stargate Origins.
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