Dr. Robert Wanat, PhD
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
Dr. Robert Wanat – Chemistry, Polymers, and Materials Expert Witness
Dr. Robert Wanat is an award-winning Cornell-educated PhD chemist with more than 30 years of experience in the chemical industry and extensive experience as an expert witness in complex litigation. He is the inventor on 10 U.S. patents and led teams responsible for the issuance of 20+ additional patents, combining deep technical knowledge with practical expertise in intellectual property, patent litigation, and commercialization. Dr. Wanat has served as a scientist, Global Director of Research, Director of Manufacturing, and Chief Technology Officer for multi-billion-dollar chemical companies, where he led international R&D, manufacturing, and innovation initiatives.
Dr. Wanat’s technical expertise includes polymers, plastics, adhesives, composites, films, sheets, coatings, nanotechnology, aerosols, additives, light management, optics, and materials science, with broad experience in acrylics, polyurethanes, polyesters, polyolefins, styrenics, and fluoropolymers. He has been retained as an expert witness in nearly 50 matters, including 23 intellectual property cases (patent infringement, inter partes reviews (IPRs), post-grant reviews (PGRs), and trade secret disputes) and 26 additional litigation and arbitration matters. Dr. Wanat has been deposed 13 times and has provided six expert testimonies at trial and in arbitration.
In addition to litigation support, Dr. Wanat is a recognized expert in product development, process scale-up, and manufacturing, having led the commercialization of products with cumulative sales exceeding $2 billion across automotive, aerospace, medical, construction, packaging, energy, cosmetics, display, lighting, optical, and marine applications. He has supervised 200+ technical professionals and 300+ manufacturing personnel and has worked closely with legal teams to secure patents and achieve favorable outcomes in multi-million-dollar disputes. Dr. Wanat has served on the Board of Directors of the Adhesives and Sealants Council and as a judge for the Adhesives and Sealants Innovation Awards.
Dr. Wanat earned his BS in Chemistry, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Scranton in three years and his PhD in Chemistry from Cornell University, where he received the Tunis Wentink Graduate Student of the Year Award and the Rohm and Haas Fellowship. He also holds a Certificate in Technology Management from Caltech. As President of Innov8 Chem, LLC (www.innov8chem.com
), Dr. Wanat provides expert witness services, technical consulting, and strategic analysis in chemistry, polymers, plastics, materials, coatings, and adhesives to patent, product liability, and complex litigation attorneys.
- Adhesives
- Aerosols
- Chemicals
- Chemistry
- Intellectual Property
- Materials
- Paint & Coatings
- Plastics
- Polymers
- Sealants
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: Ph.D. in Chemistry; Cornell University
M.S. in Chemistry; Cornell University
Certificate in Technology Management; Cal Tech
B.S. in Chemistry; University of Scranton, PA - Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
- A: Current member of: American Chemical Society and the Society of Plastics Engineers
Past member of: Society of Automotive Engineers and the Adhesive and Sealant Council (member, and was elected to the Board of Directors) - Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: Taught Chemistry Laboratory courses to Cornell undergraduate students
Moderator for a materials session at a national biopolymers conference.
Taught and mentored PhD, MS, and BS employees for Arkema and Bostik in chemistry, polymer science, optics, and project management
- Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
- A: No
- Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Expert Witness on almost 50 cases:
• 23 intellectual property cases (IPRs,PGRs, trade secret, and patent infringement)
• 26 other litigation/arbitration
Deposed 13 times as an expert witness
Provided 6 expert testimonies at trial and in arbitration
- Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: I have been retained as an expert in the technical areas of chemicals, polymers, plastics, coatings, adhesives, and related fields for cases involving intellectual property disputes (infringement, invalidity, inter partes reviews, and post grant reviews) as well as on product failure/liability cases. The cases have been related to industrial processes, consumer products, product failures, and personal injury.
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: I have been retained by the plaintiff (or petitioner) in more than one-half of my expert engagements.
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: I have been retained by the defendant (or patent owner) in less than one-half of my expert engagements.
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: I have been deposed 13 times.
- Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: My most recent deposition was taken Fall 2025.
- Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
- A: Six
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: Six
- Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
- A: I have been working with the legal industry as an expert since 2018.
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: Dr. Wanat provides expert witness and consulting services including reports, declarations, site inspections, literature search and review, product failure analysis, depositions, and court testimony.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: Call for current rates
Available Upon Request