Dr. Robert Washut is Professor of Music at the University of Northern Iowa, where he served as Director of Jazz Studies from 1980 - 2002. An accomplished jazz composer and arranger, Washut has received numerous commissions from collegiate jazz ensembles, professional jazz artists, and symphony orchestras. Many of his works are published by the UNC Jazz Press (Greeley,CO), Walrus Music Publishing (Pismo Beach, CA), C.L. Barnhouse (Oskaloosa, IA), and Heritage JazzWorks (Lorenz Corp - Dayton, OH).

During his 22 years as director of the award-winning UNI Jazz Band One, Washut recorded 11 CDs (two of which earned 5-star ratings from DownBeat magazine), toured Europe three times, consistently received "Outstanding Band" recognition at collegiate jazz festivals throughout the Midwest, and was awarded three "Outstanding Performance" citations in DownBeat's Annual Student Music Awards.

He is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the country and is an active jazz pianist, who founded the Latin jazz band, Orquesta Alto Maiz. He recorded and released a jazz trio CD entitled Songbook ( Sea Breeze Jazz : SB-3036) in 1999. Washut was inducted into the Iowa IAJE Hall of Fame in 2003 and was selected as Outstanding Teacher at UNI in 1996.