In memoriam: Robert Dexter

To engineers across the country, Associate Professor Robert Dexter was a down-to-earth expert they could call with some of their most challenging steel fracture and fatigue problems.

He had a national reputation but didn't hesitate to climb under bridges to talk with welders and mechanics.

"If there was a fatigue issue, Robert was our first call," said Dan Dorgan, state bridge engineer for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.