Dr. Wen-Yee Lee studies organic pollutants in the environment, and their impacts on human health. Her research area is a unique field in the chemistry department, and is in line with the university’s vision in interdisciplinary research. Dr. Lee was a 2016 Interdisciplinary Research (IDR) Fellow awarded by UTEP Office of Research and Sponsored Projects and the Office of the Provost. As an IDR Fellow, Dr. Lee organized the Water Research Group which include researchers from UTEP, Texas A&M, NMSU, New Mexico Tech, and three international universities to study water quality at local, regional, and global scales.In addition, Dr. Lee investigates the urinary metabolites in cancer patients to detect prostate and kidney cancers. She collaborates with clinical researchers and statisticians to develop a tool that has great potential to provide a sensitive and cost effective method for cancer diagnosis. The outcome of her research could address the urgent problem of over-diagnosis and over-treatment in prostate cancer. The tool could also be a powerful early detection method for kidney cancer.