The ever-increasing degree of control over trapped atomic ions has kept them at the forefront of quantum computation and quantum simulation. Yet, the flexibility of the trapped ion platform has not been fully utilized to address the intersection between quantum devices and their environments. At this intersection are practical questions regarding the limits that noise places on future quantum technologies alongside the fundamental theories of open quantum systems which are featured in quantum information science, quantum thermodynamics, quantum biology, and cosmology. Our research focuses on adapting and expanding the well-understood control of trapped ion qubits to subject them to versatile, tailored environments and using this platform to test the robustness of state-of-the-art experimental quantum algorithms, the efficacy of quantum error correction and mitigation techniques, and fundamental theories of quantum thermodynamics.