In 1882, while still a student, she co-founded the American Association of University Women with her mentor Ellen Swallow Richards.

During her long career at the University of Chicago, Talbot fought tenaciously and often successfully to improve support for women students and faculty,[2] and against efforts to restrict equal access to educational opportunities.

[1] She additionally obtained an BS from MIT, where she studied under domestic science pioneer Ellen Swallow Richards, who had established her own laboratory there.

[6] In 1892, she took up the position of assistant professor in the Department of Social Science and Anthropology, at the newly created University of Chicago.

[9] The Association of Collegiate Alumnae, which she had co-founded, also began hosting regular meetings of Deans of women in 1911.

[12] The house system, which excluded sororities and secret societies, was eventually adopted by the university for male students as well.

[12] Talbot's leadership was popular among the female students; in 1902, a university publication equated her role among the women with that of famed coach Alonzo Stagg among the men.

[12] In 1915, Talbot publicly defended the action of the principal of Wendell Phillips High School to allow racially integrated social activities, receiving ferocious hate mail in response.

[15] Talbot was a specialist in domestic science, and became head of the newly created Department of Household Administration at the University of Chicago in 1904.