Jong Pil Lee, a resident of Syosset, and a distinguished service professor of mathematics at SUNY College at Old Westbury, was recently honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by the University of Alberta, from which he earned his Ph.D. in 1970.

As an honoree, a photographic tribute to Dr. Lee will be on display at the university's Student Union Building with a listing of his accomplishments. According to the university, located in Alberta, Canada, Dr. Lee was honored for being "tireless in his efforts to improve the quality of mathematical education in the United States."

"Dr. Lee has spent some 30 years engaging people in the pursuit of mathematical excellence," said College President Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III. "Whether school-aged children, his Old Westbury students, or the professional teachers who study in his programs, he has influenced thousands and made them aware of the importance mathematics plays in our lives and our society. Our campus community congratulates him on this latest honor."

Evidence of Dr. Lee's efforts include his establishment in 1987 of the Long Island Mathematics Conference at Old Westbury, the largest one-day regional mathematics conference in the United States. He is also the founder and project director of the Institute of Leadership Development for Teaching Mathematics and Technology, which has provided in-service training for hundreds of teachers.

In 1992, to help gifted students develop their creativity to their full potential, he founded the Institute of Creative Problem Solving, allowing 75 students in grades 5 to 10 to attend sessions at Old Westbury, tuition free. In recognition of his commitment to education and mentoring, he was honored in Washington with a prestigious 2005 U.S. Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. He was also in 2006, an inaugural inductee of the Long Island Mathematics Educators Hall of Fame.

The Distinguished Alumni Award was created to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of University of Alberta alumni who have earned national and international prominence as a result of their outstanding professional achievements and service to society. Other distinguished alumni honored by the university in 2006 include James Thoresell, who served as the senior international Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources advisor to UNESCO's World Heritage Committee and John Sparby Colter, who is internationally recognized as a builder of Canada's biomedical sciences. Located on the historic North Shore of New York's Long Island, the State University of New York College at Old Westbury is a small public college that teaches students to lead at work, in the community and in life. In an environment that demands academic excellence and offers close interaction among students and faculty, Old Westbury offers more than 40 undergraduate opportunities in its liberal arts and professional programs and graduate programs in accounting and taxation. For more information on the State University of New York College at Old Westbury, visit www.oldwestbury.edu.