Kevin Michael Lee, 62, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died April 14. A celebration of life is 5 to 7 p.m. June 20 at Morrill Hall.
Born in Bay City, Michigan, on April 9, 1963, Lee graduated with a Bachelor of Science in astronomy from the University of Michigan, a Master of Science in physics from Central Michigan University, and a doctorate in physics and astronomy from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. For more than 20 years, he worked as a research associate professor at Nebraska in the Department of Physics and Astronomy as well as for the Center for Science, Mathematics and Computer Education.
Throughout his time in academia, Lee contributed significantly to his field, developing instructional technologies, producing a library of astronomy demonstration videos and interactive computer simulations used by high school and college teachers in classrooms worldwide. He received the national Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Physics Teaching by the American Association of Physics Teachers in 2012 and their Citation for Distinguished Service in 2016.
“Kevin was a valued member of our department who was truly a national leader and innovator in astronomy education," Ken Bloom, chair of the department, said. "His website of interactive instructional tools is visited by millions of users every year. His colleagues appreciated his commitment to embracing new technologies in the classroom, and we are all saddened by his untimely death.”
Lee is survived by his wife, Laurie; daughter Meredith (Natalie) and son Jonathan; brother Jeff (Paula) and sister Stephanie (Dennis); father Kenneth; and grandson Emerson. He was preceded in death by his mother, Rosemary. He will be remembered for his deep appreciation for music, love of playing the piano, and fondness for Star Trek and Michigan sports.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the UNL Astronomy Education Support Fund. Donations will help carry forth Lee’s mission to improve and expand access to astronomy education.
