Edith Hirsch Luchins facts for kids

Edith Hirsch Luchins (born December 21, 1921 – died November 18, 2002) was an amazing Polish-American mathematician. She was known for using math ideas to solve problems in how we think and learn. This included her work in Gestalt psychology, which looks at how our minds see things as a whole.

She is famous for the Luchins and Luchins' Water Jar Experiment. This experiment is named after her and her husband, the psychologist Abraham S. Luchins.

Early Life and Learning

Edith Hirsch was born in Poland in 1921. When she was six years old, her family moved to the United States. They settled in New York City.

In high school, Edith was very good at math. She often helped other students with their work. She also helped her teachers with grading.

She earned her first college degree from Brooklyn College in 1942. Then, she got her master's degree from NYU in 1944. Later, in 1957, she earned her Ph.D. from the University of Oregon. Her Ph.D. paper was about a complex math topic called "Banach Algebras."

Her Career as a Scientist

From 1942 to 1943, Edith Luchins worked for the government. She was an inspector for anti-aircraft equipment. This was during World War II at a company called Sperry Gyroscope.

She started her advanced studies at NYU. She also began teaching at Brooklyn College. For a few years, she paused her formal studies. But she kept doing research and writing math papers with her husband.

After getting her Ph.D. in 1957, she went back to teaching. She taught at the University of Miami for four years. In 1962, she became a professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic.

In 1970, she made history at Rensselaer. She became the first woman to be a full professor there. She worked at Rensselaer until she retired in 1992.

Awards and Special Honors

Edith Luchins was a wonderful teacher and mentor. She received many awards for her work. These included the Rensselaer Distinguished Teaching Award. She also got the Darrin Counseling Award and the Martin Luther King Jr Award. The Rensselaer Alumni Association also gave her an Outstanding Faculty Award.

In 1982, she was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This is a big honor for scientists. In 1998, she became an honorary member of the Society for Gestalt Theory and its Applications.

Her Family Life

In 1942, Edith married Abraham Luchins. He was a psychologist who studied how people learn. They had five children together.

See also

In Spanish: Edith Hirsch Luchins para niños