Yang Shao-Horn is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and the Gail E. Kendall Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Professor Shao-Horn and her group probe the underlying molecular-level mechanisms of catalytic and charge transfer reactions, and ion/electron transport and examine the impact of these mechanisms on performance in electrochemical energy devices, including in lithium-ion batteries, lithium-air batteries, PEM fuel cells and solid oxide fuel cells. Her recent research is centered on understanding the electronic structures of surfaces/interfaces, searching for descriptors of surface reactivity, catalytic activity and charge transfer processes, and applying a fundamental understanding to design surfaces for electrocatalysis and for electrochemical energy storage.