New York, NY (August 7, 2024) — Committee of 100, a non-profit organization of prominent Chinese Americans, today released the following statement mourning the passing of Nobel Prize winner Dr. Tsung-Dao Lee.
Born in 1926, Dr. Lee passed away at his home in San Franciso at the age of 97.
“Chinese American scientists have woven indispensable threads into the fabric of national and international society, driving innovation, advancing knowledge, and enriching our collective understanding, thereby shaping a brighter, more inclusive future for all. Dr. Lee broke down barriers and was a trailblazer for Chinese Americans in science. We know that the world is a better place today because of Dr. Lee’s contributions – both in the classroom and in society overall.”
A Chinese-American physicist, Dr. Lee became the second-youngest scientist to ever at that time to receive a Nobel Prize, earing the honor in 1957 at the age of 31. Dr. Lee’s early excitement, understanding and love for physics was recognized and encouraged early in his education. After completing only his sophomore year at Southwest Associated University, Dr. Lee received a Chinese government fellowship for graduate study in the United States. From 1946-50, Dr. Lee studied at the University of Chicago and received his Ph.D. degree on his thesis “Hydrogen Content of White Dwarf Stars.”
J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is remembered as the father of the atomic bomb, hired Dr. Lee in 1951 as a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, praising him as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists of his time.
In 1953, Dr. Lee joined Columbia University as an Assistant Professor in the Physics Department, where he taught for six decades until his retirement in 2011 as University Professor and the Enrico Fermi Professor of Physics.
Dr. Lee has published over 300 scientific papers and several books and by his own account, his own collected scientific papers total some 2,400 pages of research. At his retirement ceremony at Columbia University, Dr. Lee distributed a 231-page booklet on some of his then recent research papers, all of them published since 2006.
Dr. Lee’s official bio from the Nobel Prize Organization can be found here. Columbia University’s statement on Dr. Lee’s passing and the numerous contributions he has made to the world of science can be found here.
About Committee of 100
Committee of 100 is a non-profit U.S. leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, healthcare, and the arts focused on public policy engagement, civic engagement, and philanthropy. For over 30 years, Committee of 100 has served as a preeminent organization committed to the dual missions of promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life and constructive relations between the United States and Greater China. Visit https://www.committee100.org.
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