Professor Lee has developed approaches that improve the economic efficiency of process production that are now in wide commercial use through a major international vendor. He has co-developed patented techniques for alarm management that improve process safety, currently being commercialised in an Australian start-up company. He has supervised nearly half of Australia's and New Zealand's current university staff in Process Control. As an active member of Engineers Australia, he has played major roles nationally in the promotion of engineering, science and mathematics. He has been instrumental in shaping the new Senior Certificate for all high school students in South Australia.