Our research employs electrochemistry as the primary synthetic tool to fabricate a variety of solid-state materials as thin-film type electrodes and catalysts. These materials are designed for use in electrochemical and photoelectrochemical cells that produce fuels, building block chemicals, and clean water using renewable energy sources (i.e. solar, biomass). Our expertise in electrochemical synthesis has allowed us to develop numerous novel strategies to design and optimize electrode compositions and architectures to improve the electrochemical, photoelectrochemical, and catalytic properties of a wide range of materials. We focus on both obtaining an atomic level understanding and enhancing the efficiency of electrode materials, with the overall goal of bridging the gap between chemistry and engineering.