Justin Lee

Dr. Justin Lee serves as Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Policy Lab at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), part of the National University of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Previously, he held a similar research position at the National Council of Social Service where he led needs-assessment projects and program evaluations in partnership with Voluntary Welfare Organisations. His institutional affiliations demonstrate a sustained commitment to bridging academic research with practical social service applications in Singapore.

Lee's research interests encompass non-profits, philanthropy and voluntarism, social services, design thinking and social innovation, community arts, community development, and participatory research methods. His scholarly focus particularly emphasizes disadvantaged populations, with extensive work on social inclusion of people with disabilities, end-of-life planning for vulnerable seniors, and re-integration of ex-offenders. He has increasingly explored the role of unconventional social innovators including game designers and community artists in addressing complex social challenges.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward innovative, community-centered approaches to social policy. His work demonstrates growing emphasis on design thinking methodologies, arts-based interventions, and asset-based community development frameworks that mobilize diverse community resources rather than focusing solely on deficits.

• Postgraduate Research Scholarship (2000) awarded by National University of Singapore

Lee has actively contributed to policy discourse through numerous op-eds in major Singaporean publications and has conducted extensive training workshops for social service professionals on design thinking, program evaluation, and research methods. He chairs ArtsWok Collaborative, a non-profit organization using arts to build community bridges, and serves on the Research Committee of Singapore Children's Society, reflecting his commitment to practical application of research findings in community settings.

His work consistently emphasizes participatory approaches that engage communities as active partners in identifying needs and co-creating solutions, rather than passive recipients of services. This philosophy extends to his leadership of the Policy Lab, which appears to function as an experimental space for developing and testing innovative approaches to social policy challenges in Singapore.