Eric Baer is the Leonard Case Jr. Professor in the Dept. of Macromolecular Science and Engineering and Director of the Center for Layered Polymeric Systems (CliPS) NSF Science and Technology Center at Case Western Reserve University.

His honors include the Curtis W. McGraw Research Award, American Society of Engineering Education, 1968; Centennial Scholar, The Johns Hopkins University, 1976; Annual Award of the Thermoplastic Materials and Foams Division, Society of Plastics Engineers, 1979; Distinguished Alumnus Award, The Johns Hopkins University, 1979; International Award of the Society of Plastics Engineers, 1980; Borden Award in the Chemistry of Plastics and Coatings, American Chemical Society, 1981; Meritorious Service Award of the Case Alumni Association, 1982; International Education Award of the Society of Plastics Engineers, 1991; Doctor of Sciences "honoris causa" of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Chemistry) June 28, 1993; Paul J. Flory Education Award, American Chemical Society, March 27, 1996; Frank and Dorothy Humel Hovorka Prize, Case Western Reserve University, 1998; Roon Foundation Award, Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology and Coatings Industry Education Fund, 1999.

He was inducted into The Plastics Hall of Fame, June 22, 2000.

Research interests: Irreversible microdeformation mechanisms; pressure effects on morphology and mechanical properties; relationships between hierarchical structure and mechanical function; mechanical properties of soft connective tissue; polymer composites and blends; polymerization crystallization on crystalline surfaces; viscoelastic properties of polymer melts; damage and fracture analysis of polymers, and micro- and nanolayered composites. Eric Baer is Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Applied Polymer Science. He has edited five books and published over 550 research papers.