After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree (BSc) from our department in 2016, Austin went on to earn a PhD from Stanford University. One of his advisors there was Professor Robb Willer, who in 1999 also graduated with a bachelor’s degree from our department. Austin has been conducting research at Duke University’s Polarization Lab studying ways to make social media behavior less harmful and more socially beneficial.

Austin begins the next step in his career this fall as an assistant professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. He says that his training at the University of Iowa—in methods, analysis, and research experience from Professors Mary Noonan, Alison Bianchi, and Freda Lynn—was crucial to his success. Several of his graduate school classmates at Stanford told him they envied his head start. Other courses at the University of Iowa helped as well, especially learning the Python programming language in Computer Science and formal logic in Philosophy.

Working as the lab manager in the Center for the Study of Group Processes under Professor Bianchi was a high point of his time at Iowa. He also formed a band, “Tread New Waters,” that played for open mic nights, random passersby on the Ped Mall, and even did a show at the Culvers restaurant in Coralville.

Austin worked for University Catering for several years while at Iowa and hasn’t lost his passion for cooking. He enjoys listening to podcasts on the economy, politics, public policy, and global affairs. At professional conferences, Austin has been known to rally attendees for impromptu karaoke sessions.