Geoff Isaac

Geoff Isaac is a Research Fellow at the University of Technology in Sydney and a casual academic at the ANU. His doctoral project traced the eighty-year history of the plastic chair, focusing on how designers are responding to the environmental emergency by experimenting with recycled plastics and bioplastics to replace virgin fossil-based plastics. Applying the multi-level perspective (MLP) transition framework led to the identification of pivotal strategies to promote the adoption of more environmentally friendly solutions by creators and makers working with plastics.
Geoff is also the author of a definitive monograph on Australia’s eminent mid-century designer, Grant Featherston, published by Thames & Hudson in 2017. Before embarking on his academic journey, Geoff accumulated extensive experience in senior marketing roles within both the telecommunications industry and government sectors. This practical background has endowed him with valuable insights into the intricate drivers and barriers shaping the adoption of technological innovations. Geoff’s research focuses on mid-century modern and contemporary industrial design, exploring the symbiotic relationship between technology, commercial design, and sustainability. Current research interests are focused on fostering a more sustainable use of resources across architecture and design, with a particular interest in plastics and promoting widespread adoption of recycled plastics and bioplastics across design.