UAlbany Alum Awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry

By Mattie Fitzpatrick | October 20, 2025

Professor Omar M. Yaghi is located in California at University of California, Berkeley. 

Photo Credit: Brittany Hosea-Small for UC Berkeley

University at Albany Alum Omar M. Yaghi 85’ was recently awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry sharing the honor with Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University and Richard Robson of the University of Melbourne. 

The Nobel Prize for Chemistry is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden every October. The award was established following the death of businessman Alfred Nobel, who in his will stipulated that the prize would “reward outstanding efforts in the fields he was most involved in during his lifetime: physics, chemistry, physiology, or medicine, literature and peace.” 

Professor Yaghi, Professor Kitagawa and Professor Robson were honored for their work concerning the development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) which has the potential to be used in gas storage, environmental remediation, medicine and more. Each professor contributed directly to the development and research of MOF as such with Professor Robson’s early work laying the foundation for the field, Professor Kitagawa developing more reliable frameworks and Professor Yaghi’s development of the field for specific applications. 

Yaghi, who immigrated to the United States at the age of 15, graduated with his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UAlbany in 1985 after earning an associate in science degree from Hudson Valley Community College in 1983. He then earned his PhD at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and went on to serve as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University. 

Yaghi said, “It’s an incredible honor, and honestly, a very humbling experience. I don’t see it just as a recognition of my work, but of a whole community of students, collaborators, and scientists who believed in the value of fundamental research. When we started developing metal-organic frameworks, a lot of people thought the idea was too ambitious — building new materials by design, almost like LEGO at the molecular level. But we kept at it. So this award is really about the power of curiosity, persistence, and teamwork. It’s also special to me personally, thinking back to where I started — as a young student from Jordan, then later a chemistry major at UAlbany. It’s been a long journey, and I’m very grateful.”

UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez said on this honor, “On behalf of the entire University at Albany community, I congratulate Omar M. Yaghi ‘85 on sharing the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. That an interest in chemistry nurtured right here on the UAlbany campus could one day lead to this highest honor for scientific exploration and discovery should surprise no one familiar with the curiosity, drive and talent of UAlbany students.” 

Yaghi credited his success to curiosity, version and persistence throughout his career. He said, “I’ve always been motivated by big questions — like how we can create entirely new materials with precise control. That’s what led to the birth of reticular chemistry. But I didn’t do it alone. Working with talented and driven students and postdocs has been key — they’re the ones who helped turn ideas into real discoveries. I also think growing up with limited resources, and coming to the U.S. as an immigrant, gave me a strong sense of purpose. It made me more determined to make the most of every opportunity and to contribute something meaningful through science.”

Yaghi is currently the James and Neeltje Tretter Chair Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley as well as the Founding Director of the Berkeley Global Science Institute. 

Yaghi encourages students interested in chemistry to “stay curious, and don’t be afraid to ask big questions — even if they seem out of reach. Some of the best discoveries come from ideas that initially seem too risky or too unconventional. Focus on learning the fundamentals, but also start thinking creatively about how you can apply them to real-world problems. And be patient — science takes time. A lot of our major breakthroughs came after years of trial and error. Surround yourself with people who inspire and challenge you, and find mentors who will support your growth. Chemistry is a powerful tool for solving problems — from clean energy to climate change — and we need passionate young scientists to help lead the way.”