J. Lee Edwards' general interest includes examining interdisciplinary theories, methodological approaches, and applications of material culture studies to historic and prehistoric societies. This would encompass researching, documenting, and interpreting the past through the study of artifacts. They approach this research by using methods from anthropologists, historians, and museums to study the material culture of a society. J. Lee has used this approach in studying Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian, Contact Period, and Frontier sites found throughout Illinois and the Midwest. They are also interested in educational programming and utilizing GIS techniques to further archaeological research.