Dr. Rubel is an educational sociologist and researcher by training. Immediately after college he taught high school English in South-Central Los Angeles. Returning to graduate school, he earned an EdM (Boston University) and PhD (University of Wisconsin) in the area of crime prevention in public schools. After serving a stint as a Visiting Fellow at the U.S. Department of Justice, he formed a 501(c)(3) that specialized in crime prevention in public schools. He ran that firm for 17 years. During part of that period, he also was a founding member of the American Association of Woodturners, which he also ran for its first three years of existence.

Robert has extensive management experience with non-profit associations, formerly holding national certification as a Certified Association Executive through the American Society of Association Executives. He is a heavily published author and has served as founder and managing editor of two national quarterlies, one for school police/security directors, and one for his beloved art-form of woodturning. He is an avid dancer, specializing in West Coast Swing and most country-western dance forms.

In his mid-40s, Bob decided to change careers utterly and joined a stock brokerage and future brokerage firm in Washington, DC. Within six months, he was made a Principal of the futures brokerage side of the firm and five months later was named CEO. He ran the company for four years. Upon the request of a close friend, Dr. Rubel returned to Austin to help this person start a new company. He worked as the corporate operations officer for five years, then retired to pursue his passion as an erotic and fetish art photographer.

Robert (Bob) Rubel has been involved in the BDSM scene for a number of years, throwing himself into the literature of the field as though it were an academic study. He frequently attends BDSM weekend conferences. Within his local community, Robert (who is also known as “Corwin” the erotic and fetish photographer – www.photosbycorwin.com) has served the BDSM community in the following ways: Board Member of NLA-Austin, Council Member of SAADE (School for Advanced American Dominant Education) and Director of SAADE’s Special Interest Group for Master/slave relations. He served for two years as part of the Leadership Core of the Austin Mentors Program where he taught fire play and M/s relations.

Robert’s books include: Protocols; Handbook for the female slave (2006); Flames of Passion: Handbook of Erotic Fire Play (2006 with David Walker); Protocol Handbook for the Leather Slave: Theory and Practice (2006); Master/slave Relations: Handbook of Theory and Practice (2006) and three books on erotic and fetish photography titled (with an eye towards perverse humor) Parts: The Erotic Photographic Art of Robert J. Rubel, PhD (2006); Wholes: The Erotic Photographic Art of Robert J. Rubel, PhD (2006); Holes: The Erotic Photographic Art of Robert J. Rubel, PhD (2006)

Long-term Master/slave relationships are not accidental; they require ongoing hard work. To a large extent, people get along better with one another when they openly discuss their expectations and wishes with regard to their own growth and the growth of their partner.  

There are certain tips and techniques - some borrowed from the world of business - that can be helpful before you enter into a relationship, during the development of the relationship, and to keep it running smoothly after it’s established.