My research interests are in experimental soft condensed matter. We study a variety of classical many-body systems that have characteristic energy scales accessible at room temperature and that are internally characterized by mesoscopic length scales in between molecular and macroscopic dimensions. As a result, these soft materials are easily deformable by external stresses and fields, or even by thermal fluctuations, and have microscopic dynamics and structural features that can be directly imaged using optical-microscopy techniques and probed using light scattering; this enables addressing many open questions in equilibrium and non-equilibrium many-body physics. Recent research involves partially ordered fluids, or liquid crystals, colloidal crystals and glasses, and active matter. A recurring theme is the presence of defects in the order and how they sense and respond to the local geometry, the local environment and the system’s inherent activity. We are also interested in fluid mechanics and hydrodynamic instabilities, which we are studying using toroidal droplets.

Jelena's research aims at developing innovative, hybrid treatment techniques that outperform current (waste)water processing methods and drive down the requirements for energy and chemicals. Her research is focused on the development of nanoelectrochemical systems for distributed water/wastewater treatment, based on the use of engineered nanostructured materials to induce oxidative and reductive degradation of pollutants in water. Her research group is also exploring the possibilities of nanoengineering of anaerobic respiration and acceleration of redox microbial reactions by the addition of low-cost carbon nanomaterials. The main objective in the development of these technologies is to design tailored, adaptable solutions for the treatment of contaminated water and eliminate persistent, toxic and carcinogenic chemicals from water in an energy-efficient way.