Associate Director Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing Northeastern University Email: jaisaacs@coe.neu.edu Phone: (617) 373-3989 Website
Currently, I work with the Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing (CHN) and lead the research thrust on societal implications of nanotechnology. CHN is an NSF funded Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC), a collaborative effort among several university partners (Northeastern University, the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, the University of New Hampshire, and Michigan State University) and the Boston Museum of Science. The CHN was awarded one of two team Aspiration Awards at NU in 2005. Our collaborations on societal implications have led to the formation of the Nanotechnology and Society Research Group (NSRG), which works to address the impact and ramifications of nanomanufacturing technology. As the NU Education Coordinator for the CHN, I help to organize educational opportunities for students at various levels of education. Our Center includes summer research programs for teachers (RETs) and for undergraduates (REUs). The Museum of Science in Boston is partnered with CHN to teach K-12 students about nanomanufacturing. The Boston MOS has a continuing partnership with the Harvard NSEC, for which many learning modules on nanomaterials have been created, and MOS has been selected to lead the Nanoscale Informal Science and Engineering (NISE) Network – to engage the public in issues related to nanotechnology.
My research pursuits at Northeastern University, funded initially by a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, have focused on environmental and economic issues in advanced materials processing. This is my continued research focus within the CHN – to review the Life Cycle Assessment of the various processes under development and to assess any alternatives to find a more environmentally benign process or product. This work was initiated with an NSF grant (NER) grant to explore and compare process alternatives for the manufacture of carbon nanotubes. The issues related to these types of investigations in the auto industry are discussed in an article in the Northeastern University Magazine. This field of research has evolved to be called “Environmentally Benign Design and Manufacturing.” Research interests in powder metallurgy have connected me with efforts at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), where in 1997 I became an adjunct in the Metals Processing Institute (MPI).
I also lead a team of researchers (engineers, multimedia specialists, game designers, and educational assessors) who are working to redesign an educational game called Shortfall!. This game encourages students to role play in teams representing an automotive supply chain. They make decisions based on technological, economic and environmental tradeoffs within a production facility. This work is initiated with an NSF grant to assess the extent of learning through this interactive multimedia.
I maintain an affiliate position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Materials Systems Laboratory (MSL) within the Center for Technology, Policy and Industrial Development (CTPID), where I originally learned to develop analysis tools for decision making in this arena. Collaborations with departmental colleagues in the Industrial Engineering Group include the Laboratory for Responsible Manufacturing (LRM).
Selected Publications:
M. Healy†, L. J. Dahlben†, and J. A. Isaacs, “Environmental Assessment of Single Wall Carbon Nanotube Processes”, Journal of Industrial Ecology, Special Issue in Nanotechnology, Vol. 12, Issue 3, 376-393, 2008.
Z. D. Ok†, J. C. Benneyan, and J. A. Isaacs, “Risk Analysis Modeling of Production Costs and Occupational Health Exposure of SWNT Manufacturing”, Journal of Industrial Ecology, Special Issue in Nanotechnology, Vol. 12, Issue 3, 411-434, 2008.
S-J. Tsai†, E. Ada1†, J. A. Isaacs, and M. J. Ellenbecker, “Airborne Nanoparticle Exposures Associated with the Manual Handling of Nanoalumina in Fume Hoods”, Journal of Nanoparticle Research, DOI 10.1007/s11051-008-9459-z, July, 2008.
D. M. Qualters, J. A. Isaacs, T. P. Cullinane, J. Laird, A. McDonald, and J. Corriere†, “Shortfall: An Educational Game on Environmental Issues in Supply Chain Management”, International Journal of Scholarship and Teaching and Learning, Vol. 2, No. 2, July, 2008.
D. M. Qualters, T. C. Sheahan, and J. A. Isaacs, “An Electronic Advice Column to Foster Teaching Culture Change”, To Improve the Academy, Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD), Vol. 24, 201-216, 2006.
B. Bert, J. Isaacs, and M. Overcash, “Environmentally Benign Manufacturing – A Workshop Report”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 14, No. 5, 527-535, 2006.
D. E. M. May† and J. A. Isaacs, “Economic Comparison of Ferrite and NdFeB Magnets for Automotive Applications”, Materials and Manufacturing Processes, Vol. 19, No. 4, 777-787, 2004.
J. A. Boon†, J. A. Isaacs, and S. M. Gupta, “End-of-Life Infrastructure Economics for “Clean Vehicles” in the U.S.”, Journal of Industrial Ecology, Vol. 7, No. 1, 25-45, 2003.
J. A. Isaacs, “Managing Student Group Projects in an Introductory Materials Science Course”, Journal of Materials Education, Vol. 25, Nos. 1-3, 31-36, 2003.
J. E. Boon†, J. A. Isaacs, and S. M. Gupta, “Economic Sensitivity for End of Life Planning and Processing of Personal Computers”, Journal of Electronics Manufacturing, Vol. 11, No. 1, 81-93, 2002.
J. L. Maziarz† and J. A. Isaacs, “Techno-Economic Analysis of P/M HIP Processing”, Powder Metallurgy, Vol. 45, No. 1, 10-13, 2002. Winner 2002 Student Paper Contest
A. Diaz-Triana† and J. A. Isaacs, “Environmental Perspectives for the U.S. Powder Metallurgy Industry”, International Journal of Powder Metallurgy, Vol. 38, No. 4, 36- 48, 2002.