An internationally recognized expert in geotechnical engineering, Dr. Robert Gilbert is the Brunswick-Abernathy Professor of Civil Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. He teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses including the senior design capstone course, and is a member of the university's Academy of Distinguished Teachers. He conducts research to advance the management of risk in civil engineering. He has received the Norman Medal from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the E.B. Burwell Award from the American Society of Geologists for authoring the top papers in those professions. Dr. Gilbert was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2020.

In engineering practice, Dr. Gilbert has established himself as an expert in assessing and managing risk. He has consulted on a wide-range of high profile projects, including flood protection in New Orleans, the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, the nuclear waste repository in Nevada, and offshore oil and gas facilities around the world. He is a member of the committee responsible for design guidelines for offshore facilities published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the International Organization for Standardization. He was awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Award from the United States Army Corps of Engineers for his service on the ASCE External Review Panel in the forensic analysis of the levee failures in Hurricane Katrina. He is currently a member of the Board of Governors for the Geo-Institute of ASCE.

Dr. Gilbert earned a Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering in 1993, a M.S. in Geotechnical Engineering in 1988, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering with the Highest University Honor (Bronze Tablet) in 1987, all from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He received the top award for Ph.D. research in engineering (the Ross J. Martin Award) and was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus in 1997. Prior to joining the faculty at The University of Texas at Austin, he worked for five years as a geotechnical consultant with Golder Associates Inc. in their Chicago office.

On a personal level, Bob enjoys raising four children and supporting his wife's career of building large tunnels throughout the country. He loves athletics, having completed two Ironmans and a handful of marathons.