Joyce Lee joined the Walter H. Shorensein Asia-Pacific Research Center (Shorenstein APARC) in June 2010. Her research currently focuses on the rethinking of Asian multiculturalism, as well as on the official development assistance (ODA) in education sector.
 
Prior to joining Shorenstein APARC, Lee gained several years of research experience at the United States Congress, the Asia Foundation's Center for U.S.-Korea Policy in Washington, DC, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea in Seoul. During the 2008 presidential election season, Lee worked as a political intern for Hillary Clinton's campaign at its headquarters in Arlington, VA.

During her four years of college, Lee studied political science at Seoul National University, Chinese language and literature at Peking University, and graduated from the University of Washington with a double bachelors degree in political science and psychology. Lee received a master's degree in public policy from Cornell University. She speaks fluent Korean and conversational Mandarin Chinese.