Professor Emeritus

Academic Degrees

  • Ph.D., Structural Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, 1967.
  • S.M., Nuclear Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1964.
  • S.B., Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1963.

Certifications

  • P.E., S.E.

Experience

  • Principal, Technology Plus, Omaha, Nebraska, (1990 - Present)
  • Professor, College of Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (1991-2017)
  • Associate Director, The Charles W. Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, UNL College of Engineering (2010-2016)
  • Courtesy Professor, Aviation Institute, University of Nebraska at Omaha, (1991-2017)
  • Assistant Vice President, Advanced Technologies Department, Union Pacific Corp., St. Louis, Missouri, (1988 - 1990) 
  • President, MultiTec, Inc.; President, Rentex, Inc.; and Board Chairman, CMax, Inc., MultiTec, Inc., Omaha, Nebraska, (1984 - 1987) 
  • Senior Vice President, Foster Western, Inc.; and President, Nicholas Construction, Inc., MultiTec, Inc., Omaha, Nebraska, (1976 - 1984)
  • Vice President/General Manager, HDR Systems, Inc., Henningson, Durham & Richardson, Inc., Omaha, Nebraska, (1972 - 1975)
  • Department Manager, Systems, Henningson, Durham & Richardson, Inc., Omaha, Nebraska, (1970 - 1971).
  • Captain/Operations Research Analyst; Army Chief of Staff Force Planning Analysis Directorate, U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corps, Washington, D.C., (1969)
  • First Lieutenant/Senior Research Engineer, NASA Unmanned Spacecraft Program, U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corps, Pasadena, California, (1968)

Curriculum Vitae (CV):

Areas of Research and Professional Interest

  • Structural engineering
  • Materials science
  • Biomedical engineering
  • Engineering mechanics
  • Computer applications
  • Modeling, simulation, and visualization of engineered and economic systems
  • Aerospace

Inventions/Patents

  • Precast Post-tensioned Segmental Pole System, U.S. Patent Number 6,851,231, February 8, 2005 (co-inventors: M. K. Tadros, S. A. Yehia, A. L. Hansen).
  • One-sided Bolted Reusable Moment-resisting Fastener System, disclosed to Nebraska University Regents November 5, 2001, released, November 22, 2004.

About Terence Foster

Dr. Foster served as Professor of Construction Engineering on the Graduate Faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering. Dr. Foster draws upon over 20 years of experience as a senior corporate executive in the construction, logistics, and computer services industries. He has served as CEO of two design/construction firms. He retired as Associate Director of The Charles W. Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction. Currently he works part time as Principal in Technology Plus, consultants in the physical and information sciences.

Courses he taught include Statics, Dynamics, Mechanics of Materials, Structural Materials and Design, Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Introduction to Construction, Construction Business Methods, Construction Economy, Construction Methods and Equipment, Introductory and Advanced CAD, and Computational Analysis. At the Aviation Institute, he has taught Introduction to Aviation and Aerodynamics.

His research interests covered structural mechanics and information systems in construction, aerospace, and biosystems. Major projects and publications deal with high technology structures, aircraft performance, cold regions engineering, random vibrations, finite element analysis, business and technological systems analysis and optimization, computer assisted design, building information modeling, component identification and monitoring, and learning systems.

Early in his career, Dr. Foster received a Fulbright-Hays visiting professorship in earthquake engineering. He has since served as Chair of the Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects and National Vice President for Practice Divisions of the National Society of Professional Engineers.

Dr. Foster received a Ph.D. in Structural Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley, with prior degrees in Nuclear and Civil Engineering from MIT. He is a Licensed Professional and Structural Engineer in Nebraska and four other states, with national and international practice certification.

Honors and Awards

  • Engineering Education Excellence Award from National Society of Professional Engineers (2014)
  • Who's Who in America (2010)
  • W. A. Klinger Construction Education Award from American Institute of Constructors (2009)
  • Who's Who Among America's Teachers (2005)
  • Outstanding Service Award, National Society of Professional Engineers Practice Division for Professional 
    Engineers in Construction (2004) 
  • Service Award, University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering and Technology, Professor Level (2003) 
  • Who's Who in America (2001) 
  • Tau Alpha Pi Engineering Technology Honorary (1999)
  • Sigma Lambda Chi Construction Honorary (1998) 
  • Who's Who in the Midwest (1989) 
  • Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award, National Society of Professional Engineers, Nebraska Society of Professional Engineers, Eastern Chapter (1984)
  • Who's Who in Finance and Industry (1983) 
  • Who's Who in Engineering (1980)
  • Outstanding Young Engineer Award, National Society of Professional Engineers, Nebraska Society of Professional Engineers (1973)
  • Fulbright-Hays Visiting Professorship (Courses taught: Finite Element Method, Random Vibrations), Institute of Seismology, Skopje, Macedonia (formerly Yugoslavia); Guest Lecturer in Yugoslavia, Italy, and Portugal (1971). 
  • Sigma Xi Scientific Honorary (1967) 
  • Graduate Fellowship, American Institute of Steel Construction (1966 - 1967) 
  • Graduate Fellowship, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (formerly U.S. Atomic Energy Commission) (1964) 
  • Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honorary (1963) 
  • Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honorary - Chapter Vice President (1962)

Selected Publications

([R] denotes refereed.)

 “Optimal Labor Productivity: A Case Study in a Sheet Metal Bending Task,” Proceedings of the 2018 Construction Research Congress, New Orleans, Louisiana (co-authors: K. P. Kisi, N. Mani, E. M. Rojas), April 2-5, 2018 [R].

 “Multi-level Hierarchical Analysis for Productivity Frontier Estimation,” Proceedings of the 2018 Construction Research Congress, New Orleans, Louisiana (co-authors: N. Mani, K. P. Kisi, E. M. Rojas), April 2-5, 2018 [R].

 “Estimation of Optimal Productivity in Labor-Intensive Construction Operations: Advanced Study,” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, ASCE, p.144 (10): 04018097 (co-authors: K. P. Kisi, N. Mani, E. M. Rojas) 2018 [R].

 “Labor Productivity Frontier: A Case Study of Two Crews,” Proceedings of the 53rd ASC Annual International Conference, Associated Schools of Construction, Seattle, Washington (co-authors: N. Mani, K. P. Kisi, E.M. Rojas) April 5-8, 2017 [R].

 “Estimating Construction Labor Productivity Frontier: Pilot Study,” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, ASCE, p.143 (10): 04017077 (co-authors: N. Mani, K.P. Kisi, E. M. Rojas) 2017 [R].

 “Optimal Productivity in Labor-Intensive Construction Operations: Pilot Study,” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, ASCE, p.143 (3): 04016107 (co-authors: K. P. Kisi, N. Mani, E. M. Rojas) 2017 [R].

 “A Case Study on Estimating Optimal Productivity,” Proceedings, Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, Virginia, pp. 1762-1711 (co-authors: N. Mani, K. P. Kisi, E. M. Rojas), 2016 [R].

 “A Case Study on Estimating Labor Productivity Frontier,” Associated Schools of Construction 52nd Annual International Conference, Provo, Utah, April 13-16, 2016 (co-authors: N. Mani, K. P. Kisi, E. M. Rojas) [R].

 “Discoveries and Conjectures about Stress Reversal in a General Cross Section,” presented to the Durham School 2nd Annual Faculty Research Symposium, January 8, 2016.

 “A Case Study on Estimating Optimal Labor Productivity,” accepted for publication in ASCE Construction Research Congress Proceedings, September 18, 2015 (co-authors: K. P. Kisi, N. Mani, E. M. Rojas) [R].

 “Beam Design Envelope: Transition between Governing Strength Equations,” presented to the Durham School 1st Annual Faculty Research Symposium, January 8, 2015.

 “Automated Tool Tracking on the Construction Site,” International Journal of Construction Education and Research, Vol. 5, No. 1 pp. 12-23, March 2009 (co-authors: J. D. Goedert, J. Jewell, J. Bartek) [R].

 “Construction Engineering, The Newest Engineering Program Offered at the University of Nebraska Peter Kiewit Institute,” Part Two of the Peter Kiewit Institute Series, The Nebraska Engineer, Vol. 35, No. 1, October 2008, pp. 11, 12.

 “Cutting Edge Research for the Design/Build Construction Industry,” presented DBIA-MAR February 28, 2008 (co-authors: J. D. Goedert, A. D. Schwer, Y. K. Cho, G. Morcous, T. R. Norton, K. E. Pedersen).

 “Research in University of Nebraska Construction Systems,” presented to Local AGC, Mechanical Contractors of Omaha, Local National Electrical Contractors Association, December 14, 2007 (co-authors: J. D. Goedert, A. D. Schwer, Y. K. Cho, G. Morcous, T. R. Norton, K. E. Pedersen).

 “Natural Frequencies of a Vibrating Uniform Cantilever with a Concentrated End Mass,” presented to Nebraska Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, April 21, 2006, abstracted in conference proceedings (co-authors: B. N. Skourup, W. J. Waters).

 “Trends in Construction Professionalism,” webinar for National Society of Professional Engineers series, ResPECt for Construction, April 19, 2006.

 “Construction Engineering: an Integrative Branch of Engineering,” presented and included in conference proceedings of the 2005 ASEE Annual Conference, June 13, 2005 (co-author: J. D. Goedert) [R].

 “A Template for the Exploration of Chaotic Locomotive Patterns,” Chaos, Solitons, and Fractals, Elsevier, Vol. 23, pp. 485-493, 2005 (co-authors: M. J. Kurz, N. Stergiou, J. Heidel) [R].

 “Three-Dimensional Barrier Impact Response Modeling (BIRM3D),” presented at the Second International Structural Engineering, Mechanics, and Computation Conference, July 5-7, 2004, Cape Town, South Africa, published in conference proceedings (co-authors: R. D. Sarmah, C. Y. Tuan) [R].

 “Component Identification System in the Construction Project,” presented to Nebraska Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, April 16, 2004, abstract and poster (co-author: F. F. Samura).