Macosko is an author of more than 500 academic papers, dozens of patents, and two books including the text: "Rheology: Principles, Measurements and Applications" (Wiley/VCH, 1994).
[2] He served as director of the Industrial Partnership for Research in Interfacial and Materials Engineering (IPRIME), a university-industry consortium at the University of Minnesota, from 1999 to 2018.
Macosko and a fellow graduate student, Joe Starita, co-founded the company Rheometrics, whose instruments have significantly advanced the field of rheology.
In 1970, Macosko joined the University of Minnesota and become one of the first assistant professors in the then newly combined department of chemical engineering and materials science.
Macosko's research has addressed a broad range of polymer processing operations including reaction injection molding, extrusion, melt blowing, and coating.
Macosko was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2001 for the invention, development, and dissemination of new methods of reactive polymer processing and rheological property measurement.