Robert Fithen’s career has moved from computational engineering and academic research toward finance, where the same numerical and scientific-computing background now supports Portfolio Computational Methods, Expanded Portfolio Theory, and research at 5thN Financial.
Current direction: CEO of 5thN Financial, combining portfolio management, finance research, computational backtesting, and implementation-aware portfolio methodology.
2017-Present
CEO, Portfolio Manager & Owner, 5thN Financial, LLC
Leads 5thN Financial, LLC, an Arkansas-registered investment adviser, while developing finance research in Portfolio Computational Methods, Expanded Portfolio Theory, and HiFuPi-based backtesting. Passed the Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination; develops quantitative research methods, monitors client portfolios, and handles compliance functions.
1998–Present
Associate Professor, Engineering, Arkansas Tech University
Research program in computational engineering, numerical methods, and statistical machine learning; Air Force-funded work in magneto-hydrodynamic and aero-elastic solvers; NSF-funded virtual fluid lab; Moodle server infrastructure; ABET support; orthotics design support with Jaeco Orthopedics.
2005-2009
Software Engineer & Owner, 5thN / StressComp Inc.
Built a 3-D structural finite element software package used inside DesignCAD and integrated with TetGen.
Summer 2000
Summer Scholar, Wright Patterson Air Force Base
Fluid-structure interaction research; developed nonlinear finite element shell code to couple with an existing Navier-Stokes solver.
Summer 1999
Summer Scholar, Wright Patterson Air Force Base
Magneto-hydrodynamics research and numerical simulation of magnetically controlled ionized boundary layers.
1998
Program-Education-Training Leader, University of Texas / Waterways Experiment Station
Trained government employees in conversion of serial computational codes to MPI-based parallel codes.
1995-1998
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of New Orleans
Advisor/co-advisor for graduate students, manager and system administrator of UNO’s Cray supercomputer, NSF-supported semiconductor modeling research, and ABET review committee service.
1990-1995
Computational Fluid Dynamics Research Group, Air Force Research Labs
Research in electromagnetic propagation and computational fluid mechanics for defense applications.
1990-1993
Senior Knight, Air Force Fellowship Program for PhD Students
Flight Mechanics Division, Wright Research Labs, Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
1986-1989
Computational Fluid Dynamics Group, General Dynamics / Lockheed
Validated CFD codes for Advanced Tactical Fighter work, including 3-D forebody-inlet solutions and aircraft design analysis.
1984-1986
Graduate Assistant, Texas A&M University
Computational fluid mechanics research for labyrinth seal flow prediction and heat transfer in highly conductive fluids.
1984-1986
AT&T Consumer Products
Authored in-house software to plan over 80 punch press operations used in AT&T pay phone construction.
1983
Dunham Manufacturing
Planned and performed Association of American Railroads certification testing of semi-trailers for intermodal transport.