Dr Lee has held academic appointments at the University of Wollongong, Nottingham University Business School (Malaysia) and University of Malaya. He received his PhD (Economics) from University of California, Irvine.
His current research focuses on algorithmic economics, competition policy, structural change, and political economy. He has published in peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Kyklos, Journal of Economic Surveys, Computational Economics, Journal of Asian Economics, and Economic Modelling.
He is currently the co-managing editor of the Journal of Southeast Asian Economies and associate editor of the Journal of Economic Surveys, Asian Economic Journal and Asian Economic Policy Review.