Dr. Robert T. Ratay, PE, is a structural engineer in private practice and Adjunct Professor at Columbia University in New York.   His current practice and teaching are focused on the investigation and analysis of structural and construction failures.

His four decades of professional experience in structural engineering is divided about equally between full-time design practice and combined teaching and consulting.  He has been a consultant to architects, engineering firms, contractors, corporate clients, law offices, insurance companies, and government agencies. 

Dr. Ratay is the Editor‑in‑Chief of the Handbook of Temporary Structures in Construction, and of the Forensic Structural Engineering Handbook, both published by McGraw-Hill; and of the book Structural Condition Assessment published by Wiley. He is the originator and principal developer of SEI/ASCE 37-02, Design Loads on Structures During Construction Standard.

He had held responsible positions with leading engineering firms, and been professor, department chair and dean of engineering at prominent universities.

He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts with B.S and M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering, and Ph.D. in Structural Engineering.

Dr. Ratay has served on and chaired several national and international technical committees concerned with structural performance, building science, construction methods and safety, design codes and standards, and has been on the Board of Governors of the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) of ASCE. 

In January, 2003, Dr. Ratay was named by Engineering News-Record one of the “Top Newsmakers 2003” who made a mark in the construction industry.