Alena Neudert was previously a PhD student conducting research in the field of Electrochemistry under the supervision of Prof. Milko van der Boom in the Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science at the Weizmann Institute. She has a BSc and MSc in Chemistry from Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Germany. 

In her PhD work, Alena used thin films of metallo-organic complexes to design stimuli-responsive materials. These so-called ‘smart’ materials have functionalities such as the ability to change color or store charge, and can be a solution for many challenges, from sustainable energy to communication and information transfer.

In addition to her academic work, Alena participated in projects to raise awareness of sustainability issues, including waste reduction and green and sustainable chemistry. She volunteered with the national ‘Team Sustainability’ of the Young Chemists of the German Chemical Society (GDCh-JCF), and was a member of the Weizmann Student Green Forum.