College of Engineering Dean Kim Needy has received the highest honor given by the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, the Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Industrial Engineering Award.

Needy accepted the award June 1 at the institute's annual conference, held this year in Atlanta.

Established in 1962, the Gilbreth Award recognizes those who have distinguished themselves through national or international contributions to the welfare of mankind in the field of industrial engineering.

In an interview with institute staff, Needy said she did not expect to be selected for the Gilbreth Award from among so many deserving individuals.

"To be counted among a class of the best and brightest in our profession, including those who are my mentors, my former department chairs, that I have served with on the IISE Board of Trustees, and with whom I have collaborated, is such a humbling experience," she said. "I am grateful to them all and to my incredible family who are my joy, my source of energy and the inspiration for all that I do."

Needy's nomination was led by U of A Chancellor Emeritus John A. White, who received the Gilbreth Award in 1994.

"How appropriate it is for our very own Kim Needy to receive the highest award given by the Institute of Industrial and System Engineers," he said. "Dr. Needy's accomplishments provide ample evidence that she excels in every category one would expect to be associated with such an award: teaching, research, scholarship, administration, leadership and professional service. We are most fortunate to have her play a leadership role at the University of Arkansas."

VIDEO: U of A College of Engineering Dean Receives Gilbreth Award

An IISE fellow, Needy served as the organization's president 2013 to 2014 and previously was honored with its 2019 Albert G. Holzman Educator Award and 2019 Wellington Award.

Needy is a professor of industrial engineering and holds the Irma F. and Raymond F. Giffels Endowed Chair in Engineering and has served as dean of the U of A College of Engineering since 2020. She received bachelor's and master's degrees in industrial engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Ph.D. in industrial engineering from Wichita State University.

During her time as engineering dean, Needy and her leadership team created Vision 2035, a bold, externally focused strategic plan that fulfills the university's modern-day land grant mission through providing public education, improving quality of life for Arkansans, helping to drive the state's economy and contributing service and expertise through outreach. 

Part of the plan calls for increasing the number of engineering graduates to meet industry demand and increasing the college's research productivity, two goals that could add $4 billion annually to Arkansas' economy by 2035, according to an analysis by Heartland Forward.