Gertrude L. Sunderlin was born on August 27, 1894, to Floyd and Mae Scott Sunderlin in Delmar, Iowa. She received a B.S. (1919) in Home Economics, an M.A. (1926) in Household Bacteriology and her Ph. D. (1928) in Bacteriology and Foods and Nutrition from Iowa State College (Iowa State University). She was the first woman to be granted a Ph. D. from Iowa State’s College of Home Economics.



She taught at Louisiana State University (1928-1931). Later she joined the faculty at Purdue University in 1931. Ten years later she became an Associate Professor (1941-1946) and later advanced to the rank of Professor (1946-1954).



Gertrude L. Sunderlin developed the first Master Mix for biscuits, cookies, muffins and cakes (1948). Master Mix consists of a premeasured mixture of dry ingredients and fats that can be stored up to six weeks and be used in cooking and baking. She also developed a recipe for freezing jelly and jam (1953). She later received a Centennial Citation from Alumni Association of Iowa State University (1958).



Dr. Sunderlin died on June 20, 1990 after a long illness and is buried in Oakland Cemetery, Iowa City, Iowa.