Lee holds a BS in economics and in sociology from Duke University, and a doctorate in business administration in marketing from Harvard Business School. Prior to joining NYU Shanghai, Lee was a Lecturer and Visiting Scholar in marketing at MIT Sloan. Professor Lee's research interests are in digital marketing, language in social media, and word-of-mouth influence in consumer behavior. His research has been featured in media publications such as Modern Advertising, The Financial Times, and The Huffington Post.