Questions About Dr. Okhee Lee’s Research and Work (FAQs)

Explore frequently asked questions about Dr. Okhee Lee’s research, science education, multilingual learners, STEM equity, NGSS, and integrated language and science instruction.

Okhee Lee is a professor and Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. She is a leading scholar and educator who advocates for the integration of science and STEM education and language education across research, policy, and practice. Through this integration, her work promotes equity and justice for all students, including multilingual learners.

Okhee Lee is reshaping STEM education by integrating science learning with language learning, making STEM subjects more accessible for multilingual learners and all students. Her work emphasizes that students learning English should fully participate in rigorous science learning rather than being pulled out of the science classroom. She has contributed to national policy initiatives, including the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the 2020 WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework.

Through her research and leadership, Okhee Lee has influenced STEM education policy and classroom practices nationally and internationally. Her work focuses on creating equitable STEM learning environments and improving STEM education for multilingual learners and all students. She has also led large-scale research projects funded by organizations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), helping schools and educators implement inclusive and effective STEM teaching practices.

Equity and justice are central themes in Okhee Lee’s work. She advocates for STEM education systems that provide equitable learning opportunities for all students, including multilingual learners. Her latest research examines justice-centered STEM education that addresses societal challenges. In addressing societal challenges, her research leverages knowledge and practices in STEM subjects and cultivates students’ assets for STEM learning.

Okhee Lee is recognized as a thought leader because her work influences how schools approach STEM education with all students. Specifically, her work bridges research, policy, and practice to promote equity and justice in STEM education with multilingual learners. She has authored numerous scholarly publications, including several books; served on national education initiatives; provided leadership for professional organizations; and received major honors from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Educational Research Association, National Academy of Education, National Association for Research in Science Teaching, and National Science Teaching Association.

Okhee Lee is widely recognized for her contributions to . . .

  • Promoting equity and justice through STEM education
  • Integrating science education and language education
  • Supporting multilingual learners in STEM education
  • Bridging education research, policy, and practice
  • Developing curriculum materials based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
  • Calling for alignment between content standards and English language proficiency/development standards

Science And Integrated Language (SAIL) is a yearlong fifth-grade science curriculum developed by Okhee Lee and her research team at the SAIL Research Lab at New York University. The curriculum integrates science and language to provide equitable learning opportunities for all students, especially multilingual learners.

The SAIL program includes . . .

  • Curriculum materials
  • Instructional strategies
  • Assessments
  • Teacher professional learning resources

Equity in STEM education ensures that all students have equitable opportunities for STEM learning.
Okhee Lee’s research emphasizes that equitable STEM education improves engagement and achievement of all students, including multilingual learners.

Okhee Lee provides free educational resources for teachers, researchers, and school leaders, including the following:

Okhee Lee’s resources are designed to promote academically rigorous and language-rich STEM education that takes contemporary approaches.

Contemporary science learning requires students to explain natural phenomena and design solutions to problems by engaging in practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas in science and engineering disciplines. As contemporary science learning is academically rigorous, it is also language intensive, such as developing and using models, arguing from evidence, and constructing explanations.

Okhee Lee’s work demonstrates that science learning and language learning take place in tandem. As students’ science understanding becomes more comprehensive, their language use becomes more sophisticated.

Okhee Lee’s research focuses on . . .

  • Science and STEM education
  • Multilingual learner education
  • STEM equity and justice
  • Integration of STEM and language with multilingual learners
  • Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) implementation
  • Teacher professional development

Her work connects education research with policy and classroom practices.

Educators, researchers, and school leaders can explore Okhee Lee’s . . .

Additional open access educational resources and materials are available throughout this website.