[1][2] Lee attended Tsinghua University in 1936, and obtained his bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1940.
[3] Upon graduating, Lee worked as a bridge designer and hydraulic power research engineer for the Chinese government for nearly two years, then went to study in the United States in 1942.
[1] After graduation, Lee worked for two years at Cram and Ferguson Architects, before returning to MIT as a research engineer.
[1][4] In 1985, Lee was elected a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering for his original research on control valve stability, for innovative dynamic measurement instrumentation, and for successful entrepreneurial commercialization of his inventions.
Lee co-founded Dynisco Inc. and Setra Systems Inc.[6] with his brother Y. T. Li, and was chairman of the company.