1931
Born to Nevan August and Nettie (Miller) Fisher in Ancell, MO.
1951
Serves as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers through 1953.
1952
Marries Nelda Rae Adams Fisher.
1956
Earns a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Washington University and a Master of Science from Lehigh University in 1958.
1958
Works as the assistant bridge research engineer within the National Academy of Sciences in Ottawa, IL, through 1961.
1961
Works first as a research instructor and then as an associate professor at Lehigh University through 1969.
1964
Earns a Doctor of Philosophy from Lehigh University (LU).
1969
Is a professor of civil engineering at Lehigh University and maintains this role.
1986
Is the founding director of the NSF Engineering Research Center Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems at Lehigh University.
1986
Was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
1987
Was named Construction Man of the Year by Engineering News Record and is the first academic to receive this award.
1988
Receives an honorary Doctor of Philosophy from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland.
1997
Is a lecturer and consultant in his field and is on the executive committee of Transportation Research Board through 2000.
2000
Is awarded the John Fritz Medal by the five Engineering Societies.
2001
Served on the FEMA team evaluating the World Trade Center Building Performance through 2002.
2002
Awarded the Outstanding Projects and Laders OPAL lifetime achievement award in education by the Amerian Society of Civil Engineers.
2002
Is named professor emeritus of Lehigh University and maintains this title.
2008
Served on the California Safety Peer Review Panel including the SFOBB Bridge through 2019.
2018
Is on an independent expert panel review of the Transbay Transit Center for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission through 2020.
2020
Has continued as a consultant in structural engineering since becoming professor emeritus.