Cal State L.A.'s Technology Professor is 2002 Educator of the Year

The Electronic Document Systems Foundation (EDSF) recently selected Benjamin L. Lee (Claremont), professor of technology and coordinator of the graphic communications/printing management program at California State University, Los Angeles, to receive its inaugural Educator of the Year Award.

The award will be presented to Professor Lee on Sunday, October 27, at the 2002 Xplor Conference opening ceremonies in Anaheim, California. As part of the conference, Lee will participate in a panel discussion entitled “The Best of e-Learning” on Monday, October 28.
The EDSF award, sponsored by Pitney Bowes Document Messaging Technologies, is presented to an academic, corporate or industry representative who is dedicated to the advancement of the industry through innovation in education and training, and has made outstanding contributions to educational efforts in the document communication industry. The individual must also demonstrate leadership, motivation and enthusiasm.

A nominating letter from the Printing Industries Associations, Inc. of Southern California acknowledges Lee for transforming the department’s “old” technology to a state-of-the-art Graphic Communication Center. It also indicates Lee’s accomplishment in initiating several nationally recognized programs: “the only B.S. in Graphic Communications in Southern California, the unique 2+4+Career Model for Graphic Communications Academy students, the concept of 2+2+2 articulation program, and mentorship program for many high school graphic communications teachers.”

Initiated in 1996, EDSF is a non-profit organization supporting the document communications industry through education and research initiatives. Since 1997, it has recognized worldwide academic and professional programs for their innovation and excellence in education, and their value to the document communications industry.

Benjamin L. Lee, Professor of Technology, Cal State L.A.

Benjamin L. Lee developed the new Bachelor of Science degree in the graphic communications program at Cal State L.A. with 18 new courses and designed/initiated the University’s Graphic Communications/Digital Document Management/Media Lab, which includes digital imaging, printing, electronic publishing, PDF workflow, and cross-media production based on the models that he developed and presented at national professional conferences.

He also developed the 2+4+Career model and initiated this program to arrange for 25 senior students, annually, from Inner-City Graphic Communications Academy, to take one Graphic Communications course each quarter through Cal State L.A.’s ACE/PACE program. He has held numerous department, College and University committee positions.

Lee, who received his Ph.D. from University of Northern Iowa, has been certified as a senior industrial technologist by the National Association of Industrial Technology. To date, he has published seven books and 90 papers. Major libraries such as the U.S. Congress Library, the Yale University Library, and the National Central Library of the Republic of China collect some of his works; five of those papers have been selected and published in the annual Selected Paper of the National Association of Industrial Technology (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2001). He has made 14 invited keynote speeches and 16 presentations at the national and international level, participated in international research such as The Global Future Study, sponsored by Stancombe Research & Planning Pty. Limited, Australia, and served as a round table scholar of Round Table Group.

He currently serves as the president-elect of the Graphic Communications Division of The National Association of Industrial Technology; a director of the executive board of The National Association of Industrial Technology; a reviewer of the 2001 AmeriCorps Education Initiative grant proposals for the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism; an honorary member of the Printing Industries Association, Inc. of Southern California, serving also as consultant and judge for nationally recognized competition for graphic arts students; a member of the California Industrial and Technology Education Association, 72nd, 71st, and 69th Annual Conference Planning Committee; the region six director of The National Association of Industrial Technology; a judge of the Los Angeles County Fair Education EXPO, 2000, 1999, and 1998; a member of the Advisory Committee of Inner-City Graphic Communications Academy; a member of the Advisory Committee of Pasadena Graphic Communications Academy; a reviewer of Preapplications of the 1995 Comprehensive Program Grant Competition for the Office of Postsecondary Education, United States Department of Education; a director of the executive board for Chinese Association of Graphics Science and Technology; a member of the Carl Didde WorkPLACE Program Instructors; a reviewer for Delmar Publishers Inc.; a member of the Los Angeles County Regional Occupational Program Advisory Committee; and a director of the Printing Industries Association, Inc. of Southern California Education Committee.