Â鶹ÊÓƵ Southern College Names Deborah Bromfield Lee The Jessie Ball Dupont Endowed Chair in the Natural Sciences
Jan 9, 2026
Bromfield Lee joined the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Southern College faculty in 2012 and currently serves as Department Chair and Director of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). Her scholarly work centers on green chemistry and chemical education, with research published by leading academic organizations, including the Green Chemistry Letters and Review and the Journal of Chemical Education. In addition to her research contributions, Bromfield Lee has played a key role in curriculum development for Beyond Benign, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing green chemistry education worldwide.
“The appointment of Dr. Deborah Bromfield Lee to the Jessie Ball duPont Chair in the Natural Sciences at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Southern College is a well-deserved recognition of her contributions to the field,” said Dr. Tracey Tedder, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Southern College. “We are pleased to honor Dr. Bromfield Lee’s exceptional research, teaching, and service to the academic community.”
This endowed chair position allows continued advancement in the natural sciences and upholds the mission of Â鶹ÊÓƵ Southern College to make a positive and consequential impact on society.
“Â鶹ÊÓƵ Southern has given me a place to hone my craft as an educator and engage in scholarship of my choosing,” said Bromfield Lee. “The Jessie Ball duPont Chair in the Natural Sciences means so much to me because it recognizes my efforts at FSC as an educator, scholar and for my numerous service efforts on and off campus, as well as the efforts of my peers who have supported me along the way.”
This honor was made possible through the Jessie Ball duPont fund, a charitable organization that seeks to expand access to opportunity and invest in inclusive spaces. The endowed chair position was established at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Southern College in 1980.
Dr. Bromfield Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of South Â鶹ÊÓƵ, a master’s degree in chemistry from Â鶹ÊÓƵ Atlantic University and a doctorate in chemistry from North Carolina State University. Before joining Â鶹ÊÓƵ Southern, she held teaching positions at Elon University and Kennesaw State University.