Crystal Chen Lee

Crytal Chen Lee is an Associate Professor of English Education at North Carolina State University's College of Education. She serves as Senior Advisor for Strategic Excellence and Founding Director of the Literacy and Community Initiative (LCI), a university-community partnership focused on amplifying youth voices through critical literacy and advocacy. Dr. Lee holds dual appointments as a Faculty Fellow at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and an NCSU Community Engaged Fellow. Her research bridges literacy studies, teacher education, and social justice, with a focus on underserved populations and community engagement.

Dr. Lee earned her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University (2017), preceded by an M.Ed. and B.A. from Rutgers University. Her work has been supported by grants from the National Council of Teachers of English, NSF, and others, and has appeared in journals like Urban Education, Teachers College Record, and Journal of Literacy Research.

Her current research emphasizes critical literacy's role in youth empowerment, particularly through community partnerships that center marginalized voices. Recent projects include studies on Latine immigrant students' border pedagogy practices, prosocial AI in microtransit systems, and teacher preparation for global migration contexts. She has received numerous awards including the AERA Selma Greenberg Dissertation Award and AAUW Fellowship.

Dr. Lee's academic service includes roles with the Wake Community-University Partnership, Engaged Scholarship Consortium, and leadership in the College of Education's strategic initiatives. She actively mentors graduate students in literacy education, teacher preparation, and community-engaged research.