Complex interfacial systems composed of surfactants, nanoparticles, and polymers are commonly encountered in a variety of industrial and technological processes such as coating substrates, spraying of pesticides on leaves, and processing of protein solutions. Despite their great significance, much remains unknown on the interactions between the components present in the solution, with other fluids, and at material interfaces. Our research efforts are focused on gaining a fundamental understanding and ultimately predicting the thermodynamic, transport, and deformation properties in such complex fluidic systems. We especially aim to build on the existing knowledge for interfacial systems of ideal isotropic particles and move towards technologically relevant particles with engineered surface heterogeneity and anisotropy. Our findings can be leveraged in the developing of sustainable soft materials and engineering of solutions to complex interfaces that are often encountered in wicked problems concerning “water and energy sustainability”.