Our research endeavors to advance theoretical descriptions of complex, condensed phase materials especially in instances where equilibrium ideas do not apply. We do this using concepts and methods developed by considering contemporary statistical mechanics unified when appropriate with principles from disparate disciplines in theoretical science. We ultimately aim to derive effective theories and coarse-grained descriptions and do so with the help of modern numerical techniques and computer simulation. Inspiration for specific problems comes from close collaboration with experimentalists studying real physical systems in microscopic or mesoscopic detail. Specific areas of current interest include the emergent behavior of systems undergoing simple chemical dynamics in complex environments, the response of nanoscale systems driven far from equilibrium and the solid-electrolyte interfaces relevant to basic energy science.