Finding the right fit: a PhD student’s path to UW-Madison MS&E

For PhD student Christopher Barns, choosing the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at UW-Madison hinged on three things: great research, great people and a great location. As someone focused on 2D materials and nanoelectronics, he immediately recognized how closely the department aligned with the direction he hoped to take. “The research here is just exactly what I was looking to do,” he said. “It’s one of the best schools for that field.”

But it wasn’t until he visited campus and met his potential colleagues and home that he knew: UW-Madison was a natural fit. Now, after a year and a half working in the lab of Robert Jacobberger, himself an MS&E PhD graduate and now an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering focusing on nanomaterials, Barns is certain he made the right choice. 

During his initial visit, even the city itself surprised him. Christopher grew up in upstate New York, where lakes shaped the landscape of his childhood. When he got to Madison, the familiar presence of water felt grounding. “I was like, oh, there are all these lakes nearby, literally right next to the city,” he says. “The location’s beautiful, and people here are just in really good spirits.”

As his visit continued, it was the people who left the strongest impression. Conversations with faculty felt easy and reciprocal, and he appreciated how open they were to discussing expectations. “The staff were all very receptive and welcoming, which made settling in far easier,” he says.

A prospective student dinner offered the chance to talk with faculty informally, and the relaxed setting helped him see the community more clearly. “I appreciated getting to chat with them socially, not in an academic setting, but just talking,” he says. “That was extremely helpful.”

Meeting current students added another important layer. He listened closely to the graduate students, whose experiences carried particular weight as he considered what his day‑to‑day future might look like. “The biggest thing was actually what their graduate students had to say about the faculty,” he says. “I usually weigh that a little bit more.” The consistency of their enthusiasm stayed with him.

The research environment also matched what he had hoped for. Specialized tools for small‑scale materials work were readily available, allowing him to explore questions immediately. “This university has a lot of equipment dedicated to nanolithography and characterization,” he says. “Tons of SEMs, high-quality AFM, XRD, and E-Beam capabilities. All these resources are very relevant for small-scale materials characterization/fabrication.”

He began to see the interconnectedness of the environment. Faculty and students moved easily between collaborations, and ideas passed naturally across labs. “I’m constantly getting emails from my PI about collaborations with Dan Rhodes and Jun Xiao, both assistant professors in materials science and engineering, and with Mike Arnold, professor of materials science and engineering, and all these different people,” he says. Those relationships shaped the rhythm of the department. “This was a pretty tight-knit community for nanomaterials work.”

The pace of the research can be demanding. Some projects require long, focused stretches before results begin to take shape. Early in his program, Barns spent long days at Argonne National Laboratory to make full use of the tools available there. The experience reinforced not only the level of commitment high‑level research requires, but also the collaborative mindset that defines it.

Support from his advisor has been a steady part of that process, especially during moments when progress feels slow. “There have been low points in my research where I feel like I’m not getting places, even though I’m eliminating a lot of problems,” he says. He appreciates the trust that his work is moving forward, even when the pace is not linear. “That flexibility and trust in me would be the two most important aspects of my work relationship with my PI,” he says. “Yeah, that matters a lot to me.”

Looking back, Barns feels certain he made the right choice and is thankful that a meaningful campus visit helped him reach that decision. With amazing research opportunities, a strong sense of community and a setting that feels like home, the decision has become even clearer over time. “It’s a wonderful place to live.”