"Reliability is defined as the probability of an item to perform a required function under specified conditions for a certain period of time."

Dr. Roberts has 35 years of experience in the Chemical Process Industry working in all areas including production, maintenance and reliability.  His most recent position was that of Global Reliability Engineering Discipline Team Leader for the Dow Chemical Company.  During his career with Dow he also held the positions of Plant Superintendent, Area Maintenance Superintendent, and Senior Maintenance Associate.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University, a Masters in Business Administration from LSU and a Ph.D. in Engineering Science from LSU.  The title of his Ph.D. dissertation was Failure Predictions in Repairable Multi-Component Systems and was published in 1992.   

He has been involved in the reliability arena since 1986 when he pioneered the first reliability-driven maintenance department in Dow's Louisiana Division.  As the Leader of the Plastics Central Maintenance Department, he reinforced reliability driven behaviors and utilized data analysis and tracking to improve the availability performance of the six Plastics Producing Plants in the Plastics Production Department. 

Dr. Roberts is a charter member of the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Society of Reliability Engineers and served as President and representative to the International SRE Executive Board of Directors.

Reliability and Availability Models.
At Dow Chemical, Dr, Roberts served as the owner of the Value Improving Practice (VIP), Reliability Modeling, and championed the use of Reliability and Availability Models for new projects working within the Dow Global Project Methodology.