Bill Foster

Bill Foster – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the remarkable journey of Bill Foster — physicist, entrepreneur, and U.S. Congressman. Discover his life story, political accomplishments, philosophy, and memorable quotations that reflect his commitment to science, public service, and evidence-based policy.

Introduction

Bill Foster is a unique figure in American public life, blending the roles of scientist, business founder, and politician into a singular career. Born October 7, 1955, Foster has served multiple terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois, first for the 14th district and then for the 11th district. What distinguishes him further is that he remains the only PhD-level physicist in Congress—a rare bridging of the worlds of hard science and legislative power.

In today’s political and scientific climates, Foster’s dual identity gives him both credibility and challenge: credibility when advocating for evidence-based policies, and challenge when translating technical concepts into public discourse. Yet across his career, he has used his scientific grounding as a compass for policymaking, combining curiosity, rigor, and public purpose.

Early Life and Family

George William “Bill” Foster was born in Madison, Wisconsin, on October 7, 1955. His father was a chemist, and from a young age Foster was exposed to scientific and technical thinking in the household. He attended James Madison Memorial High School in Madison during his teen years.

At age 19, Foster and his younger brother co-founded a company called Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc., which manufactures theatrical lighting systems and control software. The enterprise speaks to his early entrepreneurial spirit and his capacity to bring technical ideas into practical products.

Foster is married to Aesook Byon, also a physicist, and the couple have two children.

Youth and Education

Foster completed his undergraduate studies in physics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1976. He then pursued graduate studies at Harvard University, earning both an MS and a PhD in physics, with his doctoral dissertation titled “An Experimental Limit on Proton Decay: p → e⁺ + π⁰”.

During his graduate work and afterward, Foster gravitated toward high-energy and particle physics. After completing his doctorate, he moved to Illinois to work at Fermilab, one of the nation’s premier particle-accelerator laboratories.

Over a span of 22 years at Fermilab, Foster participated in designing equipment, analyzing data, managing accelerator systems, and contributing to major experiments. During that time, he was part of collaborations connected with the discovery of the top quark, and he oversaw the design and construction of the anti-proton recycler ring for Fermilab’s Main Injector.

His scientific excellence was recognized: he became a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 1998. He was also part of groups honored with the Bruno Rossi Prize, which recognized the detection of the neutrino burst from supernova SN 1987A. In 2022, he and Stephen D. Holmes were awarded the Robert R. Wilson Prize for their leadership in accelerator work at Fermilab, particularly around the Tevatron and neutrino programs.

Career and Achievements

From Science to Congress

Foster’s transition into politics began with a special election in 2008. When House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert resigned his seat representing Illinois’s 14th congressional district, Foster ran for the vacancy. He won the special election (March 2008) and then won reelection in November 2008. In doing so, he became part of a circa 2008 generation of lawmakers entering Congress at a moment of financial crisis.

In 2010, Foster lost reelection to Republican Randy Hultgren. But two years later, he successfully ran again and won the seat for Illinois’s newly drawn 11th congressional district in 2012, taking office January 3, 2013. Since then, he has been reelected in each cycle and continues serving that district.

As of now, his tenure in the House extends through multiple Congresses (2008–2011, 2013–present).

Legislative Priorities and Committees

In Congress, Foster has positioned himself as an advocate for science-informed policymaking, consumer protections, equitable infrastructure, and responsible financial regulation.

He serves on the House Financial Services Committee, where he has pushed for reforms in banking, housing, and consumer finance. He also has roles in subcommittees addressing monetary policy and financial institutions.

Reflecting his scientific roots, Foster is a proponent of funding national laboratories and scientific research. In recent years, he introduced the Restore and Modernize Our National Laboratories Act, advocating for $25 billion in support through 2030. He also led the Strengthening Science Through Diplomacy Act, backing international collaboration on research.

On domestic issues, Foster supports comprehensive immigration reform, infrastructure expansion in Illinois, and public health initiatives such as efforts to tackle the opioid crisis. He has framed these stances in the context of fairness, innovation, and serving constituents in his district.

During the Great Recession, Foster was active in legislative responses like the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and took a hands-on role in financial reform, successfully pushing amendments during the crafting of Dodd-Frank. He has also defended the Affordable Care Act and advocated for the expansion of access while affordability constraints persist.

Historical Milestones & Context

Foster’s political ascent coincided with periods of instability in U.S. governance and economy—such as the 2008 financial crisis and debates over scientific funding and climate policy. His entry into Congress in a special election during the crisis placed him at a juncture where both scientific understanding and legislative judgment were in high demand.

The fact that there is only one PhD physicist in the U.S. House underscores the broader challenge: many scientific and technical topics are debated without deep domain knowledge. Foster’s presence offers an institutional bridge between technical experts and policymaking.

Over time, he has emphasized that science, logic, and truth should not be partisan issues—and has fought to preserve funding for research, national laboratories, and STEM education even when budget pressures mount.

His service also spans changing congressional dynamics, from more bipartisan eras toward increasing polarization. In that environment, Foster’s identity as a scientist and cautious pragmatist often leads him to emphasize compromise and evidence-based consensus.

Legacy and Influence

Though still active in Congress, Foster’s legacy is already forming along several dimensions:

1. Scientist-Legislator Archetype: As one of few members with rigorous scientific credentials, Foster demonstrates that deep domain expertise can coexist with political life, inspiring scientists contemplating public service.

2. Policy Bridge: Through his legislative work, especially in financial reform and research funding, he has helped translate complex technical concepts (e.g. accelerator infrastructure, particle physics, laboratory networks) into the language of federal policy and budgeting.

3. Mentoring & Representation: Foster offers a visible example for STEM professionals, women and minorities in science, and hybrid careers that span both public and technical spheres.

4. Institutional Persistence: His repeated returns to Congress after defeat show resilience, and his continued advocacy in difficult budget environments signals a commitment not just to ideals but sustained engagement.

In future historical assessments, Foster may be seen less as a partisan figure and more as a representative of a movement to bring science back into the center of public decision-making.

Personality and Talents

Bill Foster is often described as deliberate, methodical, and curious—traits drawn from his scientific training. He tends to favor data-driven arguments and is cautious of populist appeals that lack grounding in facts.

He is also entrepreneurial at heart—as seen in his founding of a technical company at age 19—and thus carries a practical orientation toward bridging theory and real-world application.

Several quotes from him reflect a willingness to cross partisan divides when necessary. For example, when running for Congress, he refused to take rigid pledges on how he would vote, arguing that such pledges exacerbate gridlock.

His marriage to another physicist suggests a personal life rooted in shared scientific identity—a partner with understanding of the burdens and culture of research.

He is also regarded as someone who listens—valuing constituent input, emphasizing incremental progress, and leaning toward consensus rather than confrontation.

Famous Quotes of Bill Foster

Here are several representative quotations that reveal Foster’s worldview around science, politics, and public service:

“Science, logic, and truth should not be partisan issues; they are the cornerstones of fields that have made the United States a leader in innovation and a better place for everyone to live.”

“As a scientist, the starting point is always the facts of the matter, whereas often, in politics, the starting point is how does this play in the next election.”

“When I first ran for Congress, I decided that I would not take pledges to vote for or against any issue. I believe the practice of taking pledges contributes to the worst of the partisan gridlock in Washington…”

“The decline of particle physics in the U.S. is really a symptom of the erratic and sometimes anti-scientific attitudes in Washington and the incompetence of Congress in managing science.”

“One of the fundamental scientific discoveries of the dog-human relationship is that when a dog looks into his master’s eyes, you have a release of oxytocin — which is the trust hormone, the love hormone.”

“If we had created rules to automatically turn up the required down payment on a home when there’s a housing bubble … the amount of human misery that would’ve been avoided would’ve been enormous.”

These quotes show how Foster connects scientific insight, real-world policy, and human narrative.

Lessons from Bill Foster

From his journey and public statements, several lessons emerge that can inspire readers and prospective leaders:

• Bridge your passions: Foster’s life shows that one need not choose between science and public service—they can reinforce each other.

• Ground arguments in evidence: In policy, emotional appeal may sway, but sustained impact requires rigor, data, and logic.

• Operate with humility and listening: Foster’s relative moderation, his refusal of rigid pledges, and his constituent-based approach reflect a recognition that governance is complex.

• Embrace resilience: Political careers have setbacks. Foster’s comeback after losing reelection teaches that character is sustained over time.

• Value long-term thinking: Many of Foster’s proposals—laboratory funding, infrastructure, scientific investment—require vision beyond immediate electoral cycles.

Conclusion

Bill Foster’s story is not just one of political office, but of a life lived at the intersection of inquiry and civic responsibility. From his early days founding a tech company, through decades in physics, into Congress, he has held fast to a belief in reason, evidence, and service. His presence in Congress is a reminder that democracy benefits when people with deep subject-matter expertise enter public life. As the pressures on scientific institutions and democratic norms grow, Foster’s career suggests a path forward: not of rhetoric alone, but of careful, determined, science-informed governance.

Explore more of his speeches, legislative proposals, and quotes to see how science and politics can combine for meaningful public impact.