Abstract: Isolated spins in solid state devices are a promising system for implementing ideas from quantum information science. However, any solid state system will be coupled to nearby degrees of freedom, such as the lattice nuclear spins of the host material. In this talk we explore approaches for robust control of localized spin systems in such a mesoscopic environment, with a focus on electron spins in quantum dots and color centers in diamond. Methods for mitigating decoherence, improving quantum operations, and engineering long-range interactions will be discussed.