The Lee Resarch Group
for Surgical Technology Analysis and Development

Mechanical Engineering
Cal Poly Humboldt

Welcome to the Lee Research Group at the STAD Laboratory

NEWS

July 2025: Congratulations on Publication at IMECE 2025

We are proud to announce that Celeste Joyner and Trevor Liepa, undergraduate students in Mechanical Engineering, achieved their first publication as co-authors with Prof. Lee. Our paper has been accepted for presentation at the 2025 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition (IMECE) in Memphis, TN this November - an important milestone in their academic and research careers.

July 2025: Prof. Lee has been appointed as an Associate Editor for the ASME Journal of Engineering and Science in Medical Diagnostics and Therapy

ASME J. Eng. Sci. Med. Diagnostics Ther. Editorial Board - Masthead

Summer 2025: Community Support for STAD Research - Ferndale Meat Co.

We gratefully acknowledge the ongoing support of Ferndale Meat Co. for donating bovine bone samples for our research. Their continued partnership enables our students to gain valuable hands-on experience in cutting-edge engineering and surgical technology projects.

Summer 2025: STAD Summer Research 2025.

STAD continues to run a highly active summer research program, engaging undergraduate students in hands-on projects that advance our work in surgical technology and system development. We thank Celeste Joyner, Dennis Wheeler, and Kristopher Turner for their contributions and dedication to this summer’s research efforts.

Summer 2025: Welcoming a High School Student, Morgan Zhao, to STAD.

This summer, STAD is excited to welcome Morgan Zhao, a junior at McKinleyville High School, who will participate in voluntary research work with our team. We are proud to provide opportunities for young STEM learners to experience real-world engineering research.

Nov 2022: Prof. Lee gave a talk in the first "What's My Research?"

Prof. Lee gave the first invited research talk as part of the Monthly Interdisplinary Faculty Talk Series, "What's My Research?", hosted by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.

Nov 2022: Congratulations on the Scholarly/Artistic Activities Grant (SAAG).

Prof. Lee has been awarded the Scholarly/Artistic Activities Grant (SAAG) for her dental implant project.

May 2022: Congratulations on Marika Bos's Master Program at TAMU.

Marika Bos joins Texas A&M University (TAMU)'s Master Program in Bioengineering in Fall 2021.

May 2021: Congratulations on the Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award.

Prof. Lee has been awarded the Excellence in Undergraudate Research Mentoring Award.

https://www.pulse.pacific.edu/2021/june-2021/excellence-in-undergraduate-research-mentoring-award-.html

May 2021: Congratulations to Alene Lai on being accepted and going to Medical School.

Alene Lai joins Medical School at Touro University California.

Apr 2021: Congratulations on Justin Boetius's Outstanding Graduate Award.

Mr. Justin Boetius is the recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Award from the Mechanical Engineering, which is only provided to a student out of all ME students who graduate.

Mar 2021: Prof. Lee gave an invited talk in the Faculty Development Day of the Pacific's Dental School.

Topic: How Engineering Can Prevent Bone Cell Death During Surgical Operations

Sep 2020: Congratulations on Prof. J Lee's Appointment to the Department Chair.

Prof. Lee was appointed as the ME Department Chair.

Apr 2020: Congratulations on Prof. J Lee's Tenure Promotion.

Prof. Lee received a tenure promotion to Associate Professor. This will be effective Fall 2020.

Apr 2020: Congratulations on the Holmok Cancer Research Grant.

Prof. Lee was awarded for the Holmok Cancer Research Grant.

Dec 2019: Prof. Lee gives an invited talk at Agency for Defense Development in Korea.

Apr 2019: Congratulations on the Eberhardt Research Fellowship.

Prof. Lee was awarded for the Eberhardt Research Fellowship.

Apr 2019: Congratulations on Serena Chu's Master Program at the UC Berkeley.

Serena Chu joins the UC Berkeley's Bioengineering Master of Engineering Program in Fall 2019.

Apr 2019: Congratulations on Serena Chu and Mr. Craig Chavez's Outstanding Graduate Awards.

Serena Chu and Craig Chavez are the recipients of the 2019 Outstanding Graudate Award in the Bioengineering and the Mechanical Engineering, respectively.

May 2018: Prof. Lee gives an invited talk in Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, San Francisco, CA.

Topic: How Engineering Is Applied To Orthodontics And Dental Surgery

May 2018: Congratulations on the TEC Award.

Prof. Lee received the TEC Award for her proposal, "Thermal Imaging Camera in Engineering Education."

May 2018: Congratulations on achieving the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF).

Justin Boetius and Prof. Lee were selected as the recipients of the 2018 SURF Fellowship

Apr 2018: Congratulations on the highlight in the Journal of Biomechanics.

"Parameters affecting mechanical and thermal responses in bone drilling: A review" by Prof. Lee, Craig Chavez, and Prof. Park was selected as "the Highlight of the Journal of Biomechanics".

Mar 2018: Prof.Lee's research collaborated with our Dental school is highlighted in the Spotlight of the Pacific's Dental School.

Mar 2018: Congratulations on Nasser W. Saleh's Outstanding Graduate Award.

Nasser W. Saleh is the recipient of the Mechanical Engineering (ME) Outstanding Graduate Award.

Jan 2018: Congratulations on Craig L. Chavez's New Position at Edwards Lifesciences Company for his Co-op.

Apr 2017: Congratulations on achieving the Hoefer Prize.

Craig L. Chavez and Prof. Lee are the 2017-2018 recipient of the Hoefer Prize for Student-Faculty Research/Creative Project.
The Hoefer Prize recognizes outstanding performance in a joint student-faculty research/creative project.

Prof. Lee's two papers have been selected as the most cited publications.

Prof. Lee's two thermal papers for bone drilling were selected as the most cited articles published since 2011, extracted from Scopus.

May 2016: Congratulations on achieving the Dreyfus Foundation Award.

Nasser W. Saleh and Prof. Lee achieved the Dreyfus Foundation Award.

May 2016: Congratulations on achieving the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF).

Nasser W. Saleh and Prof. Lee were selected as the recipients of the 2016 SURF Fellowship

RESEARCH INTERESTS