Tsung-Dao Lee, a world-renowned scientist, Nobel laureate, and esteemed Chinese-American physicist, passed away peacefully at his home in San Francisco, USA, on August 4, 2024, at 2:33 a.m. local time. He was 97 years old.

Professor Emeritus Tsung-Dao (T.D.) Lee was highly honored in the scientific community. He was a Foreign Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a member of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and Italy’s National Academy of Sciences. He held life tenure as a director of the China Center of Advanced Science and Technology (CCAST), and was an honorary professor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), and honorary director of Tsung-Dao Lee Institute of SJTU. 

Prof. Lee’s academic career spanned over 60 years. He made significant breakthroughs in various fields, including quantum field theory, elementary particle theory, nuclear physics, statistical mechanics, fluid mechanics, and astrophysics. His relentless pursuit of truth and scientific knowledge led to lasting and impactful contributions to the development of physics.

Professor Lee was a dedicated advocate for the advancement of science, technology and education in China. His unwavering commitment to his motherland was evident in his efforts to promote high-energy physics, notably through his work on the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider. He played a pivotal role in establishing the “School of the Gifted Young” (SGY) at the University of Science and Technology of China, initiated the China-U.S. Physics Examination and Application (CUSPEA), and proposed the establishment of postdoctoral fellowships, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and other important institutions. He founded the China Center of Advanced Science and Technology (CCAST) and proposed the establishment of the Tsung-Dao Lee Institute to focus on fundamental scientific issues. His contributions significantly advanced China's scientific and technological education and talent cultivation.

A visionary who championed the integration of science and the arts, Professor Lee collaborated with top Chinese artists to represent scientific ideas through artistic creation, leaving behind masterpieces of profound and timeless significance. He established the Tsung-Dao Lee Science and Art Lecture Fund to promote the development of innovative cultural representations of sicence and art.

"Seeking wisdom requires learning to question. Just learning to answer is not seeking wisdom." This philosophy defined Professor Lee’s life. Full of wisdom and deeply attached to China, he left an enduring legacy in physics. His achievements and selfless dedication to the future of science in his motherland will be permanently recorded in the annals of science. His scientific spirit, characterized by indifference to fame and fortune and dedication to lofty goals, will inspire generations of Chinese scientists and students to strive for new scientific milestones.

The passing of Professor Tsung-Dao Lee is a tremendous loss to the global scientific community. We deeply mourn his passing and will always cherish his memory. His legacy will live on forever.

Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Tsung-Dao Lee Library, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China Center of Advanced Science and Technology (CCAST)

August 5, 2024