Senior Austin MacIntyre blends chemistry, math and music

When senior Austin MacIntyre first visited the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he didn’t expect to find a place that would shape nearly every part of who he’s become—a researcher, a leader, a musician, and above all, a curious mind.

After visiting various schools, one walk through UW-Madison’s campus and a peek inside the newly constructed chemistry building, sealed the deal. “When I finally came to Madison, I saw what I would’ve missed if I went anywhere else. Madison is simply a beautiful city with a fantastic engineering department,” remembers MacIntyre.

Four years later, the senior from Colgate, Wisconsin, is double-majoring in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, with certificates in Mathematics and Biology in Engineering. Between his research in the Song Jin Lab, leadership in the UW Marching Band, and a summer research fellowship in Texas, MacIntyre stays busy. Let’s see how his hard work and curiosity paid off.

Finding the math in chemical engineering

For someone now so deeply rooted in chemical engineering, it’s surprising to learn that MacIntyre didn’t originally plan to study it at all. He originally applied as a math major. But after he took AP Chemistry in high school, he was hooked. He felt especially drawn to quantification topics, like equilibrium and kinetics, and his fascination quickly evolved into something more. “Engineering has always been known for its mathematical emphasis,” he says, “and chemical engineering just felt like the perfect blend of math and chemistry.”

Today, that balance between theory and application is what keeps him captivated. A field involving rigorous mathematics and real-world systems, MacIntyre finds the material he learns in his chemical engineering courses have impact in both research and industry. In CBE 255: Introduction to Chemical Process Modeling—a course that introduced him to coding through MATLAB—it prompted MacIntyre to think logically and purposefully, and changed how he approached his research and learning.

MacIntyre’s studies extend well beyond one department. He began a double major in Chemistry after working in a research lab. “Adding chemistry allowed me to deepen my theoretical understanding of atomistic chemistry and how systems behave on the smallest scales,” he explains.

His Mathematics certificate came from a genuine love of the subject. “Math has by far been my most rewarding non-chemical engineering program,” he says. “I took differential equations and saw so many connections to chemical engineering. From there, I just kept going.”

And then there’s his Biology in Engineering certificate, which he pursued for an entirely different reason. “I actually wasn’t very good at biology,” MacIntyre admits. “But I knew so much of chemical engineering touches biology in some way. It was my way of strengthening an area I wasn’t naturally comfortable with.”

Research in the Jin Lab

Similarly, he came into his research work through a class, this time his freshman honors chemistry class. In this class, students had to complete a project about a lab on campus. MacIntyre and his group members were randomly assigned to the Song Jin Group. For the project, they focused on the lab’s work with solar flow batteries. “We even made a short video about it,” said MacIntyre. “I thought that was the end of it—until Professor Song Jin invited me to join the group.”

With little research experience but a lot of enthusiasm, MacIntyre began working with Dr. Willa Mihalyi-Koch, a graduate student in the lab at the time, on 2D lead halide perovskites—semiconducting materials known for their potential in solar and optoelectronic devices. “In retrospect,” he says, “my naïve freshman self made the best decision of his college career.”

His current project, Linking Crystal Structure and Morphological Chirality in 2D Lead Halide Perovskites, explores the relationship between perovskite crystal structure and its nanostructure growth motifs, which determines the shape and properties of the grown crystal. Specifically, he is studying the effect of chiral crystal structures—structures that can’t be superimposed on their mirror image—on the final crystal form. “It’s a fundamental question about where chirality comes from and why it arises in materials,” he explains.

The potential applications extend far beyond perovskites themselves. “If we understand how chirality develops, we can inform material design for technologies that depend on it, like sensors or light-based electronics, which depend on the use of chiroptical properties,” MacIntyre says.

His work has earned high recognition, including a Hilldale Undergraduate/Faculty Research Fellowship, one of UW–Madison’s undergraduate research awards. “It was an incredible honor,” MacIntyre says. “I’m so thankful for Professor Song Jin, Mihalyi-Koch, and everyone in the Jin group. Mihalyi-Koch especially has been a phenomenal mentor.”

Presenting and performing

While his research may be highly technical, MacIntyre’s favorite part might surprise you: sharing it. “Presenting my research is honestly my favorite part,” he says. “It’s the challenge of making something understandable to anyone, yet still meaningful to experts. I often learn more through preparing presentations than the audience probably learns from me!”

He’s presented his work across campus and beyond—from the Chemistry Undergraduate Poster Symposium, where he won Best Poster Awards in 2025, to the campus-wide Undergraduate Symposium and, this December he will go to Boston for the Materials Research Society Fall Meeting.

His research experience also took him to the University of Texas at Austin this past summer, where he conducted theoretical and computational modeling in the Truskett Group. “I was skeptical about theoretical research at first,” he admits. “But it combined everything I love—math, chemistry, and modeling. My mentors, Tsung-Lun Lee and Professor Thomas Truskett, were incredibly supportive.”

Outside the lab, MacIntyre finds joy and balance in his many extracurriculars including, skiing, climbing, and woodworking. Notably, he found his home away from home with the UW Marching Band. “It’s an incredibly supportive and fun group,” he says. “This year, I’m a Rank Leader in the trombone section. It’s been rewarding to help create the same positive experience for others that I’ve had.”

As graduation nears, MacIntyre’s path forward is clear. “My work in the Jin Lab made me realize how much I love trying to understand complex chemical systems,” he says. “It’s convinced me that I want to pursue a PhD in Chemical Engineering.”

From the lab bench to the marching field, Austin MacIntyre embodies the spirit of a Wisconsin engineer—curious, driven, and always ready to tackle the next big challenge. “I’m just very thankful I decided to come here,” he says. “It’s been the perfect environment to grow as a student, researcher, and person.”

---