2026 Gilbreth Award Winner Dr. Michael Carter: "I wanted to solve real problems"

Achieve Excellence with the Experts at IISEhttps://iise.org/trainingcenter/The IISE Training Center is unsurpassed in meeting the educational goals of professionals in myriad industries. IISE is an IACET Authorized Provider and “has complied with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU.” Our instructors are experts in essential topics including Lean and Six Sigma, concepts based on long-standing industrial engineering principles. We ensure that our students attain in-depth levels of understanding and practical knowledge of how to apply strategies to achieve business and professional excellence. Students earn digital badges and certificates to share on social media, email signatures, certificates, wherever employers are looking. The world is online - that's where your credentials should reside.Dr. Michael Carter didn’t originally plan to become a professor or even an industrial engineer.But after discovering operations research and eventually finding his way into industrial engineering, his career became focused on one of the most complex systems imaginable: healthcare.In this episode of Problem Solved, we speak with the recipient of the 2026 Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Award, IISE’s highest honor. Dr. Carter reflects on his decades-long career in healthcare systems engineering, how inefficiencies he observed inside hospitals sparked a lifelong passion for improvement, and why he dedicated his career to building what he calls “an army of engineers” working in healthcare.We also discuss the future of healthcare systems, the growing role of AI and data in medicine, mentorship, and the ripple effect of influencing generations of students and practitioners.Dr. Carter is Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto and Founding Director of the Centre for Healthcare Engineering. Over the course of his career, he has helped shape healthcare engineering in Canada and beyond through research, education, and real-world implementation.And at the end of this episode, stay tuned for a preview of our upcoming special episode exploring the real lives and legacy of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth.Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)Problem Solved on LinkedInProblem Solved on YouTubeProblem Solved on InstagramProblem Solved on TikTokProblem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth GrimesInterested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email [email protected] Achieve Excellence with the Experts at IISEhttps://iise.org/trainingcenter/