FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE NAMES DEBORAH BROMFIELD LEE THE JESSIE BALL DUPONT ENDOWED CHAIR IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES
LAKELAND, Fla., Jan. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Southern College is pleased to announce Dr. Deborah Bromfield Lee has been named the Jessie Ball duPont Endowed Chair in the Natural Sciences.
Bromfield Lee joined the Florida 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 Florida 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 Florida 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 Florida Southern College to make a positive and consequential impact on society.
"Florida 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 Florida Southern College in 1980.
Dr. Bromfield Lee holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of South Florida, a master's degree in chemistry from Florida Atlantic University and a doctorate in chemistry from North Carolina State University. Before joining Florida Southern, she held teaching positions at Elon University and Kennesaw State University.
About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning, and boasts 30 NCAA Division II National Championships. In the U.S. News & World Report's 2025 "Best Colleges" guide, Florida Southern ranks #11 among "Best Regional Universities in the South," #9 in "Most Innovative Schools," and #20 in "Best Value Schools." The College is also highlighted in The Princeton Review's 2026 Best 391 Colleges guide and the "Fiske Guide to Colleges 2025." The 2025-2026 Colleges of Distinction guidebook praises Florida Southern's AACSB-accredited Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise alongside the College's School of Education and its Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Home to the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, Florida Southern houses 13 Wright-designed structures.
SOURCE Florida Southern College
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