Daeyeon Lee holds the Russell Pearce and Elizabeth Crimian Heuer Professorship in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. He is known for his dynamic approach to research and teaching. Daeyeon combines a passion for innovative research in the field of soft matter with a commitment to inspiring the next generation of scientists. Daeyeon received his BS in Chemical Engineering from Seoul National University and his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Daeyeon’s research is centered on a fundamental exploration of how soft materials interact at or near interfaces. His group uses this understanding to guide the assembly of macroscopic structures with applications in healthcare and environmental sustainability, showcasing the direct impact of his research. His excellence in research has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the 2010 Victor K. LaMer Award, an NSF CAREER Award, the 2013 3M Nontenured Faculty Award, the 2013 AIChE NSEF Young Investigator Award, the 2014 Unilever Award for Young Investigators in Colloid and Surface Science, the 2017 Soft Matter Lectureship Award, and the 2023 Outstanding Achievement Award in Nanoscience. He has also been acknowledged for his efforts in education with awards such as the Penn CBE Distinguished Teaching Awards and the 2017 S. Reid Warren, Jr. Award, and held the Evan C. Thompson Endowed Term Chair for Excellence in Teaching from 2020 to 2023.