Created in 2009, The S.T. Lee Endowed Lecture series offers unique opportunities for students at Washington University to learn about issues of global leadership from today’s world leaders.
The series has been made possible by a generous gift from Dr. Seng Tee Lee, through his establishment of The S.T. Lee Endowed Lecture Fund to the McDonnell International Scholars Academy, and it hosts distinguished guest speakers in business, academia, government, and the nonprofit sector from around the world.
2026
Dr. Dino Patti Djalal at WashU for Fall 2026
ST Lee Endowed Lectureship
Friday, November 13 | 4:00PM
Charles F. Knight Center
Danforth Campus, WashU
With or Without You: Why the Next World Order Won’t Wait for America
A View from the Other Side of the Globe
In his talk at WashU, Dr. Dino Patti Djalal, who leads the largest grassroot foreign policy group in the IndoPacific, will make the case that we are transitioning to “the next world order”, even though its features remain fluid and elusive. He will outline some key trends in world affairs: 1) the proliferation of new alignments around the world, many stimulated by the policies of the second Trump administration; 2) the sporadic rise of the so-called “middle powers”, a term popularized by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney; 3) new dynamics in regional order; 4) the end of the western “primacy” in the international system; 5) the perceptual shift towards the United States, and towards China; and 6) some suggestions on what to expect in the near future. Ambassador Dino Patti Djalal will offer his candid view that rather than waiting for America to “return” in the coming years, a number of countries – which include America’s allies, friends and foes – have decided to focus their craft on building their own set of architecture and networks, and even their own style of “exceptionalism”. This may well be Washington D.C.’s blind spot.
2026
Vikram Patel at WashU for Spring 2026
ST Lee Endowed Lectureship
Tuesday, April 21 | 5:00PM
Charles F. Knight Center
Danforth Campus, WashU
2025
Sam Myers at WashU for 2025 ST Lee Endowed Lectureship
Tuesday, February 25, 2025 | 5:00PM
Clark-Fox Forum, Hillman Hall
Danforth Campus, WashU
2023
2019
Isaac “Bougie” Herzog | President of Israel
Innovation and Social Welfare in Israel
Kishore Mahbubani | Distinguished Fellow, Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore
Has China Won?
2017
Dr. Atsushi Seike | President and Professor of Labor, Economics, Keio University
Towards a Life-long Active Society and the Role of Universities
2015
Mr. Ram Madhav | Managing National General Secretary, BJP Director, India Foundation India and China
Uneasy Neighbors
2014
Mr. William J. Antholis | Managing Director, The Brookings Institution Senior Fellow, Governance Studies
Power Paradox–Seizing Power to Give it Away in China and India
2013
Her Excellency Nirupama Rao | The Ambassador of India to the United States
India–US Relations
2012
Professor Yuliang Yang | President, Fudan University
Understanding and Communication – The Responsibility of Universities in Humanities and Social Sciences Education
2011
Professor Sung-Joo Han | President Emeritus, Korea University
North Korea after Kim Jong-il
2010
Professor Dingli Shen | Executive Dean, Fudan University
Geopolitical Realities and Economic Opportunities in Today’s China