Dr. Tryon has established a world-wide reputation in engineering fatigue analysis and computational material science. In addition to being a VEXTEC co-founder, he is the inventor of VEXTEC’s patented probabilistic, microstructural simulation approach known today as Virtual Life Management® (VLM®). His research initiated the Federal government’s grant funding of VEXTEC which has resulted in $25 million since the company’s inception. His research has been reviewed by scientific fellows within Air Force, Navy, Army, DARPA, NASA and research institutes throughout the world.

Bob began his professional career at Ford Aerospace as an electronic systems test engineer within a military development program. After leaving Ford, he became part of the GM turbine engine development team in Indianapolis and while there, he became a turbine engine component design and lifing specialist. Recognizing that probabilistic engineering analysis was the wave of the future, GM leadership asked Bob to pursue his PhD in that area under GM’s sponsorship. He studied at Vanderbilt and obtained research fellowships from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and NASA Lewis (Glenn) Research Center. Just as he finished his work at Vanderbilt, GM sold the turbine engine division to Rolls Royce, at which time Dr. Tryon decided to leave GM and pursue a career as an independent consultant.