Biography

Dr. MacKenzie grew up on a farm in rural northwestern Pennsylvania along with his eleven (11!) siblings. At a young age, he fell in love with fantasy literature and the game of chess. Both loves have remained with him throughout his life, although his interest in chess borders on obsessive. Unfortunately, life as a professional chess player remained out of reach and his career aspirations turned in another direction. 

In high school, Ian discovered a passion for chemistry that would fuel his later academic endeavors. In 2014, he graduated with a B.S. in chemistry from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA. While at Geneva, he met the true love of his life, Sarah Abbott, and the two were happily married shortly after the completion of undergraduate studies. They moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina where Ian completed his doctorate in chemistry in 2019.  

Dr. MacKenzie  enjoys teaching and interacting with students, spending time with family and watching his five kids grow, playing chess (obviously), or just sitting back with a good book. Baseball is by far his favorite sport.