For around two decades and up to her untimely death in September 2012, Professor Alison Lee was a significant figure in Australian higher education research. Alison's incisive work ranged across several sub-fields of higher education studies and helped broaden the field as a whole beyond issues of teaching and learning. She also brought an eclectic range of theories to her work and, in doing so, inspired many others to do the same. More personally, she offered friendship and mentorship to many other higher education researchers. Led by the editorial team of "HERD" and including the two articles Alison published in our journal, as well as seven further articles published in "Teaching in Higher Education" and "Studies in Higher Education," this virtual issue pays tribute to an outstanding scholar. By virtue of the quality of her work and her generous support of so many others, Alison will have an enduring influence on the field.