Engineering a lifetime of love

The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering has a reputation for producing some of the most skilled and innovative engineers in the world. But for alumni Matt and Beth Koenings, the department also offered something equally life-changing: a lifelong partnership built on mutual respect, teamwork, and a shared passion for problem-solving.

A chance meeting in lab

Their story began in September 1979, during their junior year in the rigorous Transport Phenomena Lab. The lab’s TA assigned lab partners by a simple count-off, and fate—or perhaps some cleverly orchestrated coincidence—paired Matt and Beth together. From the very beginning, their dynamic as a team was evident. They often studied together, comparing answers and analyzing their approaches.

A memorable moment early in their partnership came when they each presented their different solutions to a challenging problem and declared in unison, “you are wrong!” Upon closer inspection, they discovered they were both partially right—and wrong. One had the correct order of magnitude—Engineering Notation of course—while the other had the right scaler—the significant figures. It was a small yet symbolic moment that laid the foundation for a strong partnership built on mutual respect and collaboration.

From first date to Friday night traditions 

What started as an academic partnership quickly grew into something more. Beth, knowing Matt had played youth hockey, invited him to a Badger men’s hockey game at the Dane County Coliseum. She provided the tickets and must have had a gut feeling since she had two season tickets!

Over time, Friday night hockey games became a beloved tradition for the couple, marking the end of their intense school weeks. Reflecting on those early days, they shared, “we learned to study together and balance our academic and social activities.” These lessons in balance would later serve them well in managing dual careers and raising three children.

The practical proposal

Matt and Beth’s engagement story is as practical as it is endearing. By the fall of their senior year, they were discussing their future and realized their lives were already intertwined. Beth’s pragmatic question, “how are we interviewing next semester?” led to a mutual decision to coordinate their career paths and marry the following summer.

The actual proposal, over dinner at a now-defunct restaurant, was understated, but their plans were anything but. They set a wedding date of August 22^nd, 1981, just after they both survived Summer Lab. But like some experiments, there were going to be some unexpected factors.

Best laid plans

As their last spring semester unfolded, they learned that for the first time, the department was going to offer Summer Lab overseas at University College London (UCL) that summer, the summer of their wedding. With Matt’s dad living as an expat outside of London at the time, Summer Lab in London seemed like a great way to start a honeymoon before they started work at DuPont on Monday, August 24^th. Except for one issue…the wedding date.

As they had been doing all their relationship, they put their heads together to problem solve and moved their wedding date up. Thankfully, the venue and all vendors were available on Saturday, June 13^th—which seemed like fate with their love of prime numbers. But finishing school and planning for wedding at the same time was a challenge. “If we can survive the wedding, the marriage will be fine,” Beth said. The wedding was an ecumenical service with about 180 friends and family in attendance, including several newly minted badger alumni in the wedding party.

While their wedding was all well and done, their graduation was technically conditional upon successfully completing Summer Lab.

Love in London

Their time at UCL brought both challenges and rewards. As the first married couple in UCL’s chemical engineering department, their presence raised logistical questions. The program traditionally rotated lab partners randomly, and there was concern about whether a married couple could work effectively in the same environment. Matt and Beth embraced the challenge, encouraging the program to stick to its established rotation system. Their adaptability and professionalism earned respect, and by the program’s end, the faculty celebrated their success with a tongue-in-cheek gift: engraved handcuffs commemorating their achievement of completing Summer Lab “still married.”

They also admit to using their engineering skills to convert the single beds to create a modified double bed in the European dorm they were assigned as a couple.

Lessons in love and life

Looking back, Matt and Beth credit UW-Madison and the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department with preparing them not only for successful careers but also for a strong, supportive marriage. “If you can work closely together and excel in a challenging curriculum like chemical engineering,” they shared, “you’ll learn how to support each other through life’s challenges.”

Their advice for young couples mirrors the principles that guided their own relationship: mutual respect, teamwork, and a willingness to face challenges together. It’s a philosophy that’s carried them through decades of life and love, from their first days in the Transport Phenomena Lab to a lifetime of adventures and accomplishments.

Today, Matt and Beth’s journey stands as a testament to the unexpected connections that can flourish in the unlikeliest of places. For them, the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department wasn’t just an academic challenge; it was the beginning of a lifetime of shared dreams, teamwork, and love. Their story reminds us that sometimes, the best partnerships start with a shared passion for solving problems—and a little serendipity.

If you have a story you’d like to share as a CBE alum or a current student, please reach out to Claire Massey (cmassey2@wisc.edu)!