Engineering’s Gary Wnek’s curiosity sends him in wide-ranging directions

Gary Wnek is always thinking about developing materials to address problems—from enhancing fire-retardant coatings to protecting older people from the devastating consequences of falls.

His broad interests stem from a desire to tackle research areas early.

“I’m not a bandwagon person,” said Wnek, PhD, who chairs the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering at Case Western Reserve University and is the Joseph F. Toot Jr. Professor of Engineering. When he sees too many people in a field, he turns to a new direction. “First is the best,” he said, “but you can’t always be first.”

The approach has led to 38 patents and nearly 215 studies that he has authored or co-authored. In December, the National Academy of Inventors honored him as a fellow for his patented contributions.

Wnek also cultivates a problem-solving mindset in introductory and upper-level courses. Instead of a final exam, for example, students identify unmet needs that can be addressed with new materials and present a three-minute pitch on their solutions.

“It’s a life skill to think about a need,” he said, “to evaluate how well it is being met and propose a solution.”

Wnek recently discussed some current projects with Think. Read about his solutions.