The Yang lab uses the latest methods in electron microscopy to reveal the mechanisms governing nanoscale metallic structure, applying results to the fields of materials science and catalysis. With cutting-edge instruments available in Benedum Hall and the University of Pittsburgh’s Nanoscale Fabrication and Characterization Facility (NFCF), Judy’s students capture high-resolution images and videos of thin films, affording critical insight into the sintering of catalysts, phase separation of structural alloys, and restructuring of metal nanomaterials. Such experiments require significant post-processing and analysis. In addition, we conduct computational studies to correlate and explain in situ observations, employing methods ranging from density functional theory (DFT) to Monte Carlo molecular dynamics (MCMD) and more.