Henry C. Lee delivers a speech at Fuzhou University in Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 10, 2013. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)
Chinese-American forensic scientist Henry C. Lee, along with three other prominent honorees, will be inducted into the Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It's no exaggeration to say that he has fundamentally changed the way modern-day criminal investigations are conducted.
NEW YORK, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Henry C. Lee, a world-renowned forensic scientist, is among the four prominent citizens of Jewish, Chinese, Polish and Puerto Rican heritage who will be inducted into the Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame (IHHF) in the U.S. state of Connecticut.
The induction ceremony is to be held on Thursday evening local time at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington, Connecticut.
One of the world's foremost forensic scientists, Lee has fundamentally changed the way modern-day criminal investigations are conducted.
Born in China the 11th of 13 children in 1938, Lee, who holds master's and doctoral degrees in biochemistry from New York University, has worked with law enforcement to help solve more than 8,000 cases.
He has been a prominent player in many of the world's most challenging and highest-profile investigations and criminal trials, including the O.J. Simpson, William Kennedy Smith and "woodchipper" murder trials, the JonBenet Ramsey case, the suicide of White House deputy counsel Vincent Foster and the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart.
A former Commissioner of Public Safety for the State of Connecticut and the State's chief criminalist for more than 20 years, Lee founded the University of New Haven's Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science.
He has taught at more than a dozen universities, law schools and medical schools; authored hundreds of articles and co-authored more than 40 books; lectured extensively around the world; and is the holder of numerous awards and more than 20 honorary degrees.
In addition to Lee, the other honorees being inducted into IHFF include: Rabbi Philip Lazowski, philanthropist, spiritual leader and Holocaust survivor; Lucian Pawlak, former mayor of New Britain; and Zulma R. Toro, president of Central Connecticut State University.
"The IHHF Class of 2019 is a diverse group of remarkable individuals who embody the kind of perseverance, scholarship and achievement that have made our world a better place," said Andre Blaszczynski, co-chair of the IHHF Planning Committee and president of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut. "Their noteworthy contributions serve to inspire and encourage future generations to excel."
The induction ceremony will be highlighted by a keynote address by Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz. It will also include an artistic program that features performances showcasing Chinese, Polish, Puerto Rican and Jewish cultures to honor the heritage of the inductees.
With the inductions of this year's honorees, the number of individuals and families honored by the IHHF since its inception in 2013 will total 31. The IHHF is a program of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. ■
