Congratulations to Dr. John Lee, associate professor of mechanical engineering, for receiving JBU’s Faculty Excellence Award. The award recognizes his exemplary teaching, service and spiritual modeling. Students describe feeling “challenged, understood, motivated and valued” and highlight his practice of beginning classes with student-led devotionals that thoughtfully integrate faith and learning. Colleagues commend his steady leadership in department operations — from strategic planning and course scheduling to mentoring and outreach. His research engagement has opened doors for students through NASA collaborations and Arkansas Space Grant support, expanding their horizons and professional networks. Dr. Lee truly reflects the Faculty Excellence Award’s purpose of recognizing faculty who advance JBU’s mission through superior teaching, meaningful service and the spiritual development of students.
Dr. Lee joined the engineering faculty at John Brown University in the fall of 2018. Dr. Lee received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Oklahoma Christian University in the spring of 2008 and his Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering with an emphasis in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in the spring of 2018. His doctoral dissertation is in fluid phase separation via nanochannel arrays for space propulsion. During his academic career, he was afforded the opportunity to participate in numerous internships, including a research experience for undergraduates at the University of Arkansas, process engineering at Eaton Corporation, and a dynamics lab at Los Alamos National Labs. While finishing his dissertation research, he worked for WattGlass, a solar panel coating start-up at the University of Arkansas Engineering Research Center.
Dr. Lee and his wife, Nicole, enjoy spending time with their wonderful daughter, Zoey, and amazing son, Zane. They enjoy traveling as a family and experiencing other cultures, cuisines, and foreign landscapes. In his free time, Dr. Lee enjoys sporting events, golf and woodworking. He and his family are members at Cross Church, Fayetteville.
