How the Macoskos are endowing excellence

A professorship is funding cutting-edge nano research today and securing a collaborative future.

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (08/10/2026) — When Associate Professor Vivian Ferry takes on a challenging new research problem, the support from the Chris Macosko Endowed Professorship makes the critical difference. This gift isn't just a title for Ferry. It is the vital, flexible funding that propels breakthrough science and nurtures the next generation of innovators.

For Ferry, the professorship provides the freedom to explore promising ideas, gather early data and support the next generation of researchers. Most recently, it enabled her to bring a new Ph.D. student into her research group.

“I am very grateful to Chris and Kathleen Macosko for this professorship, which provides support for a new Ph.D. student in my research group,” said Ferry, who also serves as director of graduate studies in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota. “We are working on an innovative processing project to create truly large-area optical metamaterials. Because of this support, I can pursue bold new questions and collect the data we need to secure the next step of funding.”

The work could open up new possibilities for producing large-area photonic surfaces with properties that differ from those of traditional, smaller devices. By giving Ferry and her graduate student the flexibility to investigate an ambitious idea together, the professorship is helping accelerate research that could shape the future of the field.

The Macosko’s Legacy: Investing in People

For Chris and Kathleen Macosko, supporting University of Minnesota faculty and students has long been a priority. 

As a retired professor who mentored more than 150 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers during his career, Chris Macosko understands firsthand what faculty and students need to thrive, from seed funding for emerging research to resources that help departments recruit exceptional people.

As Chris said, “The students are the highlight, and I love seeing them succeed.”

That commitment initially inspired Chris and Kathleen to establish the Chris and Kathleen Macosko Fellowship. The fellowship supports graduate students during their first year, before they select an advisor and secure longer-term research funding.

“It’s really the right thing to do—to sponsor first-year graduate students through fellowships,” Chris Macosko explained. “It’s a bridge year, before they commit long-term to their research and advisors. Plus, it helps us recruit incredible students.”

From first-year fellowships to an endowed professorship, the Macoskos have focused their philanthropy on the people who sustain the department’s excellence. Their support helps promising students begin their graduate education, gives faculty the flexibility to pursue bold ideas, and strengthens the collaborative culture that has defined the department throughout Chris’ career.

Ensuring Collaboration Endures: A Gift for the Future

The Macoskos have paired their support today with a generous estate commitment that will eventually elevate their professorship to an endowed chair.

The future Chair will help the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science attract and retain a globally recognized leader whose teaching, mentorship, and research will expand opportunities for students and advance solutions that will benefit society. 

By structuring their giving this way, Chris and Kathleen can see their philanthropy at work now by supporting research by faculty members such as Ferry and creating opportunities for students who learn and discover alongside them while also establishing a lasting legacy for the future.

"If you don't give when you're alive, you don't have the pleasure of seeing your money at work and the blessing that you can give to other people," said Kathleen Macosko. "That's fun."

Their estate commitment will extend that impact for generations, helping the department continue to attract exceptional talent, foster collaboration and pursue research with lasting value.

Like the Macoskos, you can see your philanthropic vision come to life today while creating an enduring legacy for the College of Science and Engineering. Learn how you can make an estate gift to the University of Minnesota.