Omar M. Yaghi Wins the Nobel Prize for Chemistry

Omar M. Yaghi, a Palestinian-American chemist celebrated for his groundbreaking innovations in materials science, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recognized Yaghi for “creating molecular constructions with large spaces through which gases and other chemicals can flow,” a discovery that has redefined the boundaries of modern chemistry.

Yaghi shares the Nobel Prize with scientists Richard Robson and Susumu Kitagawa for their pioneering work on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) — crystalline materials that can trap, store, and filter gases at a molecular level. This innovation has opened the door to major advancements in carbon capture, water harvesting, clean energy storage, and environmental sustainability.

Born in 1965 in Amman, Jordan, to Palestinian refugee parents, Yaghi’s path to global scientific acclaim was anything but conventional. His family lived above his father’s butcher shop, often without running water or electricity. Despite these hardships, his curiosity and determination set him apart from an early age. Encouraged by his father to pursue education abroad, Yaghi moved to the United States at just 15, where he began his academic journey while juggling multiple part-time jobs to support himself.

After earning his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1990, Yaghi’s research career flourished through positions at Arizona State University, the University of Michigan, UCLA, and finally the University of California, Berkeley. It was at Berkeley that he developed the revolutionary field of “reticular chemistry” — a method for stitching molecular building blocks into stable, porous structures with atomic precision.

Yaghi’s discovery of MOFs and their variants, including covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), has transformed chemistry into a discipline that builds matter like architecture. These molecular frameworks can store hydrogen and carbon dioxide, filter toxins, and even extract water from desert air — innovations that hold promise for solving some of the world’s most urgent environmental challenges.

Throughout his career, Yaghi has received global recognition for his scientific contributions, including the Tang Prize in Sustainable Development, the Wolf Prize, and the Von Hippel Award. He is also an elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Beyond his laboratory, Yaghi is dedicated to empowering scientists worldwide. Through the Berkeley Global Science Institute, which he co-founded, he has established research centers in countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Japan, and Argentina — encouraging collaboration and innovation across borders. His philosophy of “science without borders” continues to inspire young researchers in developing regions.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry marks the pinnacle of Yaghi’s extraordinary journey — from a Palestinian refugee with limited resources to a scientist whose discoveries are shaping the future of clean energy and sustainability. His story stands as a powerful testament to resilience, intellect, and the universal potential of human curiosity.

With this historic win, Omar M. Yaghi not only cements his legacy as a visionary chemist but also symbolizes hope for generations who dream of transforming challenges into discoveries that change the world.