Eric Isaacs is an American physicist who was the 11th President of the

Carnegie Institution for Science The Carnegie Institution for Science, also known as Carnegie Science and the Carnegie Institution of Washington, is an organization established to fund and perform scientific research in the United States. This institution is headquartered in W ...

where he oversaw the research and business functions across six research departments on the East and West coasts and observatories in Chile until stepping down in October 2024. In February 2025, he was announced as the next president and CEO of the Research Corporation for Science Advancement following a national search process. Isaacs spent many years at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

from which he departed in July 2018 as the Robert A. Millikan Distinguished Service Professor in physics and the James Franck Institute Executive Vice President for Research, Innovation and National Laboratories. From 2014 to 2016, was provost of the university. Prior to that he was director of

Argonne National Laboratory Argonne National Laboratory is a Federally funded research and development centers, federally funded research and development center in Lemont, Illinois, Lemont, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1946, the laboratory is owned by the United Sta ...

for five years, where he had been since 2003, with a joint appointment in the university’s physics department. Previously, he worked for 15 years at

Bell Labs Nokia Bell Labs, commonly referred to as ''Bell Labs'', is an American industrial research and development company owned by Finnish technology company Nokia. With headquarters located in Murray Hill, New Jersey, Murray Hill, New Jersey, the compa ...

, including serving as director of the Semiconductor Physics Research and Materials Physics Research Departments. At Bell Labs, Isaacs developed synchrotron-based X-ray-scattering techniques, including inelastic X-ray scattering and X-ray microscopy that continue to play an important role in materials and nanoscale scientific research. Isaacs’ research interests are in condensed matter physics and quantum materials. He earned his bachelor of science degree from

Beloit College Beloit College is a private liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1846 when Wisconsin was still a territory, it is the state's oldest continuously operated college. It has an enrollment of roughly 1,000 undergradua ...

in 1979 and a Ph.D. in physics from

MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sc ...

in 1988. He has published more than 150 scholarly articles.
Eric D. Isaacs - Provost

References

External links

Biography of Eric Isaacs at Argonne National Laboratory

Office of the Executive Vice President for Research, Innovation and National Laboratories
{{DEFAULTSORT:Isaacs, Eric 21st-century American physicists Argonne National Laboratory people University of Chicago faculty Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Science alumni Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Beloit College alumni