In recent years, there have been numerous synthetic and analytical advances that have enabled precise control and characterization of catalyst design at the atomic level. We take advantage of hierarchical and multicomponent design strategies to produce nanomaterials capable of channeling light into precisely designed active sites. This enables us to develop modular photocatalysts capable of bond-specific activation that are optically tunable across the electromagnetic spectrum. In addition to the synthesis and fabrication of novel photocatalytic materials, we also seek to understand the dynamics of energy transfer processes that occur before, during, and after optical excitation in order to control reaction selectivity along complex excited-state potential energy surfaces.