Every spring ARCS conducts site visits with each of our academic partners.  For the lucky few who get to participate in these visits, it is a chance to work with the administrators who help us organize all the moving parts that make the year run smoothly.  It also gives us the opportunity to plan for the upcoming academic year plus get to know our counterparts better.  One such administrator is Dr. David Lee.  He has not only been a strong advocate for ARCS during his tenure at UGA but he is also a delight to work with. 

Dr. Lee is retiring after 16 years as the Vice President for Research and Executive Vice President of the UGA Research Foundation and we’ll be sorry to see him go.  His strong sense of the importance of STEM research and his appreciation of the value of the ARCS Scholar Award make our partnership with UGA an exceptionally strong one. 

Dr. Lee’s accomplishments are many and impressive.  He received his B.S. in Biology from Stanford University and his PhD from the University of Washington.  During his time as an academic, he has served on the board of several national organizations, including the Southeastern University Research Association, the U.S. Department of Energy Center for BioEnergy Innovation, and Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU).  He was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2004.  His research has primarily focused on the transformation from normal to cancer cells.  It’s safe to say he’s had a long and illustrious career as a faculty member, researcher, board member, administrator and supporter of ARCS. 

At our recent site visit Dr. Lee shared with us that part of his retirement will be spent on a sailboat he purchased last year, exploring the waters of New England.  So, Dr. Lee, as you sail into the next chapter of your gracious life, please know that you will be missed by everyone at ARCS.