Designing better materials for rechargeable batteries requires understanding of the many physical processes that determine their performance. The aim of the course is to provide a foundation for understanding key materials science and engineering issues underpinning the behaviors of electrode and electrolyte materials for rechargeable batteries. With the relevant examples, the course will further illustrate how the direction integration of first principles computation with advanced experimental characterization can accelerate the pace of discovering and optimizing new higher energy/power density materials for electrochemical energy storage