Prof. Omar M. Yaghi awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

 

The European Academy of Sciences (EurASc) is proud to celebrate the outstanding achievement of Prof. Omar M. Yaghi, Fellow of the Academy, who has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Prof. Yaghi, Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley (USA), shares the Nobel Prize with Prof. Susumu Kitagawa (Kyoto University, Japan) and Prof. Richard Robson (University of Melbourne, Australia)for their development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) — a revolutionary class of crystalline materials that combine metal ions with organic molecules to form porous structures with extraordinary versatility.

These molecular architectures, described by the Nobel Committee as “rooms for chemistry”, enable gases and other substances to flow through interconnected cavities. Their design allows scientists to capture carbon dioxide, harvest water from desert air, store toxic gases, and catalyse chemical reactions — creating a new generation of functional materials with applications in energy, environment, and sustainable technology.

The Nobel Committee highlighted that this discovery has “brought previously unforeseen opportunities for custom-made materials with new functions”, underscoring the transformative impact of Prof. Yaghi’s work on modern chemistry and materials science.

Prof. Yaghi, born in Amman (Jordan) and holding a PhD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (1990), is internationally recognised as one of the founders of reticular chemistry, which has reshaped the way scientists design materials at the molecular level. His long-standing contributions continue to influence research across chemistry, physics, and engineering, inspiring global collaborations — including within the EurASc community.

EurASc warmly congratulates Prof. Omar M. Yaghi on this historic and well-deserved recognition, which honours his visionary leadership and lifelong dedication to advancing science for the benefit of society.