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Kang Lee, a professor in the department of applied psychology and human development at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), has received the 2023  from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

The award recognizes scholars whose work arising from SSHRC-funded initiatives has contributed to knowledge and understanding about people, societies and the world.

Lee was honoured for his research on child moral development: specifically, how children learn to tell lies.

“I am deeply grateful for SSHRC’s strong commitment to supporting social science research like that of mine,” said Lee, a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair. “Because of this commitment, our lab was able to make practical contributions far beyond those we could have ever foreseen."

A world-renowned expert on childhood dishonesty, Lee's work has had far-reaching impacts on real-world practices. His work led to Canadian law reforms in 2005 concerning obtaining evidence from children. Since 2006, a legal procedure based on his research must be employed to admit children as witnesses in Canadian criminal courts.

“Professor Lee’s research has made a broad impact across critical areas in education, and his exceptional scholarship, teaching, and mentoring of educational researchers are remarkable contributions to the field, to OISE, and to U of T,” said Professor Erica Walker, dean of OISE.

“He is highly deserving of this Insight Award, a prestigious honour for an outstanding professor. On behalf of the OISE community, I wholeheartedly congratulate Professor Lee for this significant recognition from SSHRC.”