R. May Lee

Board of Governors

President, Olin College of Engineering

R. May Lee is a visionary leader whose career spans global higher education, corporate leadership, and entrepreneurship. In June 2025, she was named the third President of Olin College of Engineering, bringing a unique breadth of insight, experience and expertise in strategy, innovation, and cross-sector leadership.

Lee joined Olin from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), where she was Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Institutional Impact. There, she was instrumental in shaping the university’s future through the development and execution of the “RPI Forward” strategic plan, overseeing critical change initiatives, and engaging in extensive stakeholder engagement. She was also a professor of entrepreneurship at RPI’s School of Architecture.

Her background in global education includes serving as the founding Dean of the School of Entrepreneurship and Management at ShanghaiTech University, where she pioneered an interdisciplinary curriculum integrating social sciences, entrepreneurship and critical thinking. As Vice Chancellor at New York University, Lee successfully spearheaded the development of NYU Shanghai, the university’s degree-granting campus in China.

Before her career in academia, Lee held senior executive roles at Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs and The Seelig Group, as well as leadership positions in nonprofit organizations. Her entrepreneurial experience spans the technology and digital marketing sectors.

Lee’s influence is reflected in her prior roles on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council and the boards of National Partnership for Women and Families, and Wellington College China. She is currently an executive board member of The New York Academy of Sciences, Chair of the Van Alen Institute, a member of Volkswagen’s Global Sustainability Council, and a Life Trustee of NYU School of Law. Lee earned her J.D. from NYU and B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.