Dr. Henry Lee is Chinese American and joined the University of New Haven's Forensic Science program about 40 years ago and turned it into one of the top programs in the country. The building he still works in at 85 years old bears his name.

Lee came to the U.S. in 1964, speaking no English, with only $50 on him.

"This country gave me the opportunity to learn to grow," Lee said.

Lee made the most of his opportunity. He has worked on 8,000 criminal cases in 46 countries. He was the chief criminalist for the state of Connecticut and director of the Connecticut State Police Forensic Science Laboratory for decades. Some of his notable cases include the OJ Simpson trial, re-opening the JFK assassination and the JonBenét Ramsey case.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and Lee says it is important to acknowledge and celebrate their impact on society.

"Asians actually made a lot of contributions to our society to our country. But they are a silent group. Usually, we don't complain. We just keep working," said Lee.

He sat down with News 12 Connecticut's Mark Sudol to discuss the importance of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.