Walter Lee, Ph.D.

Education

Ph.D. Engineering Education, Virginia Tech, 2015
M.S. Industrial & Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2013
B.S. Industrial Engineering, Clemson University, 2010

Research Statement

Walter Lee's research is committed to exploring, understanding, and elevating the lived experiences of engineers, engineering students, and prospective engineering students. Through our work, we aim to advance the support of engineers and engineering students as they navigate existing work and learning environments; educate engineering students and faculty about the relevance of social issues to engineering work and practices; empower engineers who wish to innovate through the application of engineering tools and processes; and transform engineering education by supplying students with the tools they need to be ready for the ever-changing workforce landscape.

Biography

Walter Lee is a professor in the Department of Engineering Education and interim executive director for the Center for Engineering Excellence and Discovery (CEED). He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Clemson University, an M.S in Industrial & Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Virginia Tech. His career vision is to be a driving force in the national effort to ensure that institutions provide students, regardless of their personal background, with the necessary support to succeed in engineering.

Selected Awards & Honors

• NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award, 2020
• Outstanding Mentor Award (College of Engineering), Virginia Tech Graduate School, 2019
• 20 High-achieving Researchers and Educators under 40, PRISM Magazine, 2018
• Outstanding New Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech College of Engineering, 2018
• Outstanding Young Alumni, Clemson College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Science, 2018

Selected Publications

• Lee, W. C. (2024). What if engineering students had a bill of rights? A thought experiment. Journal of Engineering Education, 113(1), 6-11.
•  Lee, W. C., London, J., Hawkins Ash, C. D., Pee, C. M., & Josiam, M. (2024). Broadening Participation in Engineering as a Sociopolitical Phenomenon: A Systems Perspective. Studies in Engineering Education, 5(1), 98–124.
• Lee, W. C., Hall, J. L., Josiam, M., & Pee, C. M. (2023). (Un)equal demands and opportunities: Conceptualizing student navigation in undergraduate engineering programs. Journal of Engineering Education, 112(4), 890-917.
• Lee, W. C., Hall, J. L., Godwin, A., Knight, D. B., Verdin, D. (2021). Operationalizing and monitoring student support in undergraduate engineering education. Journal of Engineering Education, 111(1), 82-110. 
• Lee, W.C. (2019). Pipelines, pathways, and ecosystems: An argument for participation paradigms. Journal of Engineering Education, 108(8), 8-12.
• Lee, W. C. & Matusovich, H. M. (2016). A model of co-curricular support for undergraduate engineering students. Journal of Engineering Education, 105(3), 406-430.