Who Is Omar Yaghi? Nobel Prize-Winning Chemist Making Molecules Build Homes

Omar Mwannes Yaghi has won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, becoming the 16th Muslim laureate in history and the fourth Muslim scientist to achieve this honor. The Palestinian-Jordanian-born chemist is recognized for revolutionizing material science with his pioneering work on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). These ultra-porous materials are transforming clean energy, carbon capture, and even water harvesting from air.

Yaghi’s journey is one of resilience and vision. Born in 1965 in Amman, Jordan, to a Palestinian refugee family, he grew up in poverty, sharing a single room with livestock and often lacking electricity or clean water. At 15, he moved to the United States with limited English, starting his studies at Hudson Valley Community College before earning his PhD in chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1990. Today, he is a University Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and the seventh President of the World Cultural Council.

Omar Yaghi’s Groundbreaking Chemistry Work

Omar Yaghi is widely known as the father of reticular chemistry — a field he founded in the 1990s. Reticular chemistry treats molecules like building blocks, connecting them into strong, predictable frameworks. At a time when many doubted such ordered porous materials could exist, Yaghi proved them possible.

In 1995, he created the first stable, crystalline MOF, and by 1999, introduced MOF-5 — so porous that a few grams have more surface area than a football field. These materials have been key for clean technologies, including hydrogen storage for eco-friendly vehicles, carbon dioxide capture from industrial plants, and water harvesting in desert regions. His later breakthroughs include covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and the world’s first woven material at the molecular scale.

Beyond the lab, Yaghi co-founded startups like Atoco and H2MOF to commercialize his research. These companies work on atmospheric water harvesting and hydrogen storage, bringing his innovations closer to real-world solutions for climate change and resource scarcity.

Global Recognition and Symbolic Impact

Yaghi’s work has earned him some of the highest honors in science: the Wolf Prize, Albert Einstein World Award of Science, VinFuture Prize, Tang Prize, and Balzan Prize. In 2021, he was granted Saudi citizenship in recognition of his contributions to science and the Muslim world. His latest achievement — the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry — places him among a small group of Muslim Nobel laureates, including Abdus Salam, Ahmed Zewail, Aziz Sancar, and Moungi Bawendi.

For the global Muslim community, his success is deeply symbolic. It showcases how perseverance and intellectual curiosity can break barriers and inspire the next generation of scientists worldwide. Yaghi’s story is also a reminder that innovation can emerge from the most challenging beginnings, shaping solutions for humanity’s future.

Omar Yaghi’s Nobel Prize marks a milestone for science and representation. From a one-room home in Jordan to the world’s biggest scientific stage, he continues to prove that molecules can be more than chemistry — they can build hope and change lives.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: Who is Omar Yaghi?

Omar Mwannes Yaghi is a Jordanian-born chemist of Palestinian heritage who pioneered reticular chemistry and invented metal–organic frameworks. He won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Q2: What did Omar Yaghi win the Nobel Prize for?

He was honored for his groundbreaking work on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), ultra-porous materials that can store gases, capture carbon, and harvest water.

Q3: How many Muslim Nobel laureates exist now?

Omar Yaghi became the 16th Muslim Nobel laureate and the fourth Muslim scientist to receive a Nobel Prize in a scientific field.

Q4: Where does Omar Yaghi work now?

He is a University Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and currently serves as the seventh President of the World Cultural Council.

Q5: What are MOFs used for?

MOFs help store hydrogen for clean vehicles, capture carbon emissions, and extract drinking water from dry air, offering sustainable solutions for the future.

References

Reuters. (2025). Omar Mwannes Yaghi awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry for metal–organic frameworks, October 8, 2025.

Associated Press. (2025). Palestinian-born chemist Omar Yaghi among 2025 Nobel Chemistry winners, October 8, 2025.

BBC News. (2025). Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025: Omar Yaghi honored for building porous materials, October 8, 2025.