Daeyeon Lee, Russell Pearce and Elizabeth Crimian Heuer Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has been named the recipient of the 2026–27 George H. Heilmeier Faculty Award for Excellence in Research for “advances in understanding and exploiting interfacial phenomena in soft matter and biomaterials.”

The Heilmeier Award honors a Penn Engineering faculty member whose work is scientifically meritorious and has high technological impact and visibility. It is named for the late George H. Heilmeier, a Penn Engineering alumnus and member of the School’s Board of Advisors, whose technological contributions include the development of liquid crystal displays and whose honors include the National Medal of Science and Kyoto Prize.

Lee’s work is known for advancing the understanding of soft matter, colloids, polymers and interfacial phenomena. His research reveals how materials organize, interact and transform at interfaces, and his group uses these insights to design advanced materials and scalable processes for applications spanning energy, environmental sustainability and human health.

Lee will deliver the 2026–27 Heilmeier Lecture at Penn Engineering during the spring 2027 semester.