Robert W. Bray earned his B. S. at the University of Wisconsin, his M. S. from Kansas State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. He joined the faculty of the department of Animal Husbandry in 1941. He joined the Navy in World War II. After the war he returned to the University of Wisconsin where he achieved emeritus status in 1984. He also served in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences as associate dean and director of research for seventeen years.