Kelli R. Kopocis

Contact Information:

City Campus (Lincoln) / Scott Campus (Omaha)

KH A405 / PKI 104G

Professional Memberships:

• American Society for Engineering Education
• National Association of Women in Construction

Associate Professor of Practice
Chair, Construction Programs Curriculum Committee
Faculty Senate Past President
Courtesy Appointment UNMC College of Public Health Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health

Academic Degrees

B.S. Industrial Engineering
M.S. Industrial and Management Systems Engineering
Ph.D. Engineering (Construction Engineering and Management)
M.P.H. Environmental and Occupational Health

Certifications

PhD, MPH, AHFP, CM-Lean

Making it safer to transport infected patients
Terry Stentz and Kelli Herstein talk about their work with the Department of Defense to make the process of transporting patients exposed to infectious diseases safer for the healthcare workers and other Air Force personnel on those missions.

Click here for episode

Areas of Research and Professional Interest

Occupational Safety and Health
Occupational Human Factors and Ergonomics
Human Fatigue and Performance
Engineering Ethics
Lean Construction
Transportation and Logistics
Radio Frequency Identification

In the News: Powered by the

Apr 16, 2024: Fourteen engineering faculty chosen for promotion and/or tenure

Jul 22, 2022: Kopocis named to NU system's inaugural class of leadership development fellows

Mar 31, 2020: Durham faculty help Air Force improve transport, care of exposed patients

Nov 21, 2017: Durham School construction students experience on-site learning thanks to industry partners

Inventions/Patents

Zuniga Ulloa, J., Knarr, B., Youn, J., Sossa, I., Stentz, T.L., Housh, T., Schmidt, R., (Kopocis) Herstein, K.R., Ahn, C.R. (2019) Accelerometry-based Fatigue Detection System. UNeMed, Corporation (NIN No. 19060).

Courses Taught

Productivity and Human Factors in Construction
Construction Site Safety Management
Construction Materials and Specifications
Engineering Economics
Introduction to Construction
Construction Senior Project
Deterministic Operations Research
Stochastic Operations Research
Construction Management Systems
Occupational Safety and Health
Ergonomics
Project Management
Work Measurement
Occupational Biomechanics

Honors and Awards

2022-2024 NU DEAL Fellow
2018 Associated School of Construction (ASC) Regional Teaching Award

Selected Publications

Herstein JJ, Abdoulaye AA, Jelden KC, Le AB, Beam EL, Gibbs SG, Hewlett AL, Vasa A, Boulter KC, Stentz TL, Kopocis-Herstein KR, ElRayes W, Wichman C, Lowe JJ. A pilot study of core body temperatures in healthcare workers wearing personal protective equipment during patient care activities in a high-level isolation unit. J Occup Environ Hyg. 2021 Aug. doi: 10.1080/1549624.2021.1949459

Wood, X., Stentz, T.L., Kopocis-Herstein, K.R. (2021) Designing Internship Courses for Graduate Students: Lesson and Recommendations from an International Student’s Internship. 2021 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Long Beach, California.

(Kopocis)Herstein, K.R. and Stentz, T.L. (2020) A Course in the Human Factors Approach to Construction Engineering and Management. Paper accepted to 2020 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Montreal, Canada.

Miller, J., Stentz, T.L., (Kopocis) Herstein, K.R. (2020) Autonomous Monitoring of Multiple Trucks in Earthmoving Operations. Paper submitted to 2020 Associated Schools of Construction Conference, Liverpool, United Kingdom. (accepted for Emerging Research presentation)

Jabbarani Torghabeh, Z., Stentz, T.L., (Kopocis) Herstein, K.R. (2020) Construction Glass and Glazing Job Description – A Qualitative Case Study, International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2020.1713608

Ergonomic Assessment Report: WC-135 Constant Phoenix Radioactive Collection Device Installation and Replacement”. U.S. Air Force Bioenvironmental Engineering and Medical Services TAOS Research Conference Tempe, AZ August 25-29, 2019.

Gibbs, S. G., Herstein, J. J., Le, A. B., Beam, E. L., Cieslak, T. J., Lawler, J. V., Santarpia, J.L., Stentz, T.L., Kopocis-Herstein, K.R., Achutan, C., Carter, G.W. Lowe, J. J. (2019). Review of Literature for Air Medical Evacuation High-Level Containment Transport. Air Medical Journal, 38(5), 359-365.

Gibbs, S. G., Herstein, J. J., Le, A. B., Beam, E. L., Cieslak, T. J., Lawler, J. V., Santarpia, J.L., Stentz, T.L., Kopocis-Herstein, K.R., Achutan, C., Carter, G.W. Lowe, J. J. (2019). Need for Aeromedical Evacuation High-Level Containment Transport Guidelines. Emerging infectious diseases, 25(5), 1033–1034. doi:10.3201/eid2505.181948

Lowe, J.J., J.V. Lawler, S.G. Gibbs, J.J. Herstein, E.L. Beam, G. Carter, J.L. Santarpia, T.L. Stentz, K.R. (Kopocis) Herstein, C.A. Achutan, T.J. Cieslak. Isolation System Independent Validation and Verification Final Report. Final Report. National Strategic Research Institute and Nebraska. U.S. Air Mobility Command. September 30, 2018.

Moravec, T. J., & (Kopocis) Herstein, K.R, & Stentz, T. L. (2019, June), Finance Major to Construction Engineer and Manager: Summer Internship 2018 Paper presented at 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Tampa, Florida. https://peer.asee.org/32841

Jabbarani Torghabeh, Z., Stentz, T.L., Buchholz, B., Jorgensen, M., (Kopocis) Herstein, K.R. (2019) Mixed Methods Ergonomics Job Analysis for Glass and Glazing Workers. Poster presented at 2019 Associated Schools of Construction Conference, Denver, Colorado

Torghabeh, Z. J., T. L. Stentz, and K. (Kopocis) Herstein. Demonstration of Work Performance Metrics in Ironworkers using the ERGOS Sapphire(TM) Work Simulation System. 51st Annual Associated Schools of Construction Annual International Conference Proceedings. April 22-25, 2015. College Station, TX.

Herstein, K. An Experimental Analysis of the Effects of Ventilation, Airflow and Door Configuration on Transmission of Respiratory Aerosols in a Hospital [Doctoral Dissertation Title, 2014]

Grosskopf, K. and K. (Kopocis) Herstein. 2012. The Aerodynamic Behaviour of Respiratory Aerosols within a General Patient Room. HVAC&R Research Vol. 18, No 4. pp 709-722.

Wendland, B., L. Lander, T.L. Stentz, K.J. Spanjer, K.R. (Kopocis) Herstein. No Silver Bullet. American Society of Safety Engineers. ASSE Professional Development Conference and Exhibition, 28 June-1 July, 2009, San Antonio, TX.

Herstein, K. An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Radio Frequency Identification on Mechanical Contracting Jobsites [Masters Thesis Title, 2009]

Stentz, T., M. Riley, D. Cochran, X. Ding, K. (Kopocis) Herstein, M. Euler, J. Renoe, M. Coplen, and S. Popkin. Transient Risk Factor Models for Fatigue and Human Factors Rail Accidents [International Fatigue Management Conference, 2009, Boston, MA]

Stentz, T., D. Cochran, X. Ding, K. (Kopocis) Herstein, M. Euler, J. Renoe, M. Coplen, S. and Popkin. An Analysis of Self-Reported Locomotive Engineer Alertness and Activity [International Fatigue Management Conference, 2009, Boston, MA]

Stentz, T., M. Riley, D. Cochran, X. Ding, K. (Kopocis) Herstein, M. Euler, J. Renoe, M. Coplen, and S. Popkin. Analysis of 28 Railroad Yard Accidents of 1997 Using Transient Risk Analysis [Research Report, Federal Railroad Administration, 2009]

Stentz, T., M. Riley, D. Cochran, K. (Kopocis) Herstein, M. Euler, J. Renoe, M. Coplen, and S. Popkin. Human Factors as a Major Cause of Accidents [Research Report, Federal Railroad Administration, 2008]