about us
Meet our principal investigator
Dylan Barber, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He founded the Precision Polymers Group to foster a collaborative research environment that builds big molecules to solve big problems.
The group’s research focuses on developing new synthesis strategies, informed by polymer physics, to unlock new soft matter with previously inaccessible properties. Leveraging Barber’s prior work on stimulus-responsive and high-permittivity polymers, the team aims to expand the capabilities of soft matter in service of safer batteries, bioinspired molecular machines, and better solutions for end-of-life processing of commodity polymers.
Prior to establishing the Precision Polymer Group, Dylan worked with Jennifer A. Lewis at Harvard University on the rational design and synthesis of zwitterionic liquid dielectrics and 3D-printed porous electrodes for electrochemical flow systems. He earned his Ph.D. under the mentorship of Todd Emrick and Alfred J. Crosby at UMass Amherst, specializing in the synthesis of stimulus-responsive polymers and manufacture of bioinspired filamentous assemblies.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Miguel Betancourt-Ponce, PhD, is originally from Puerto Rico, where he received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras in 2021. He earned his Ph.D. under the mentorship of Padma Gopalan at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2026, where his research focused on the synthesis of well-defined polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) brushes and block copolymers. Miguel joined the group in Fall 2026 to work on the synthesis and characterization of zwitterionic polysiloxanes. Outside the lab, he enjoys reading and exercising.
Graduate Students
Wyatt Fish earned an undergraduate degree from University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and a master’s degree from University of Wisconsin – Madison in materials science and engineering. He joined the group during the summer of 2026 where he will focus on synthesizing and characterizing zwitterionic polymers. In his free time, he enjoys reading and bouldering.
Undergraduate Students
Anabelle Jayne Buff is a sophomore in the Materials Science & Engineering program and is originally from Forest Lake, MN. She is currently working on synthesis and characterization of polysiloxanes. In her free time, Annie enjoys cooking/baking nutritious recipes, pilates, and going on really long runs. She is also a very active member and leader in Intervarsity student ministry on campus.
Casper Robert Calahan is a junior in the Materials Science & Engineering program. His work primarily focuses on the synthesis and characterization of zwitterionic polymers and charged small molecules. In his free time, Casper enjoys rock climbing, golfing, hiking, and playing board games.
Simon Niemcek is a sophomore in the Materials Science & Engineering program. His work primarily focuses on ATRP reactions. In his free time, Simon enjoys rock photography, playing and watching soccer, and playing video games.
Join our team
We’re building a team of curious, collaborative researchers who want to shape the future of polymer science. If you’re a potential graduate student, postdoc, or collaborator interested in making, understanding, or implementing groundbreaking soft materials, we would love to hear from you.
Open positions will be posted soon. In the meantime, feel free to reach out with your CV and a brief statement of interest.