Female engineers are icons in the STEM field.

Lillian Evelyn Gilbreth (May 24, 1878 – January 2, 1972) was an American psychologist, industrial engineer, consultant, and educator. She was a pioneer in applying psychology to the study of time and motion.

She was one of the first female engineers to earn a PhD and one of the first practitioners of organizational psychology.

Born in Oakland, California, Lillian was raised in a fairly traditional family. She was an excellent student, and with her family's support, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of California in 1900.

Lillian was one of the first female engineers to earn a PhD and one of the first practitioners of organizational psychology.

She then went on to study and earned a PhD in psychology from Brown University in 1915. Prior to that, Lillian married Frank Bunker Gilbreth in 1904. Together, they produced some of the most influential research in the history of management and engineering.

Gilbreth and his wife

While Frank specialized in the study of time motion, analyzing efficient ways to accomplish tasks, Lillian focused on the human aspect of the equation, incorporating psychology into industrial processes.

Lillian Moller Gilbreth and her extended family

The couple were the first to consider the psychological and physical needs of workers, laying the foundation for what we now call "ergonomics".

Typical kitchen layout before the "Practical Kitchen Design" era, approximately 1920-1954

Lillian Gilbreth researches various fields such as time and motion, human factors, home economics , and consumer research.

A kitchen inspired by Lillian Gilbreth's "Practical Kitchen Design"

Most of her research focuses on analyzing and redesigning work processes to increase efficiency and reduce employee fatigue, not only in work but also in daily activities such as cooking.

Lillian Moller Gilbreth in a lecture hall at Purdue University.

Lillian also invented several household items such as the pedal-operated trash can and the small shelf for refrigerator doors – things that are common in households today.

The Gilbreth family life was documented in "Cheaper by the Dozen" (1948), which was later adapted into a film.

She was the first woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering of the United States and received more than 20 honorary degrees. In 1965, she was awarded the Hoover Medal for her contributions to humanity.

In 1984, the United States Postal Service issued a stamp to honor Lillian Moller Gilbreth.

Lillian Moller Gilbreth's legacy is not only preserved in books on engineering and management, but is also disseminated through books and films based on the life of the Gilbreth family with their 12 children.

Lillian Moller Gilbreth has become an icon in the STEM field.

She has become an icon in the STEM field, inspiring young people, especially women, in science .

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/nu-ky-su-la-tuong-dai-trong-linh-vuc-stem-20250522160736812.htm