R. Clayton has a long-standing interest in programming languages and systems. He worked in the CAD-CAM industry, for the regional Bell operating companies, and for a start-up involved with silicon compilation. He is currently teaching in the computer science and software engineering department at Monmouth University.

He used to write a compiler a year, but now mostly uses the collected compilers as a testbed for new or interesting compiler and language features. He has a BS from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, an MS from the University of Arizona, and a PhD from Georgia Tech, all in computer science.