Irving Shain's many contributions to electrochemistry laid the foundation for understanding the electrochemical properties of solid-liquid interfaces. Over the last few years, these contributions have also played a key role in enhancing our understanding of the properties of nanoscale materials. Carbon nanofibers are a particularly interesting material that combine an highly complex nanoscale structure with an unusual atomic-level packing. These properties make nanofibers especially attractive for a range of applications ranging from biosensing to new types of capacitors and batteries for advanced energy storage. In this talk, I will briefly highlight how the scientific contributions of Irving Shain continue to play an important role in advancing the emerging field of nanotechnology, and how these advances may ultimately improve our quality of life.