Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Omar M. Yaghi Joins Tsinghua University

Omar M. Yaghi, the 2025 Nobel laureate in Chemistry, has joined Tsinghua University in Beijing as a full-time professor, the university announced on July 3. Yaghi, celebrated for his pioneering work on Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), shared the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with two other scientists for their foundational research in this field.

The university held an appointment ceremony on the morning of July 3, where President Li Luming presented Professor Yaghi with his official appointment. The event was attended by several leading academics and officials. Yaghi is an internationally recognized chemist with memberships in numerous prestigious academies, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Professor Yaghi has indicated a focus on addressing global challenges such as water resources, carbon neutrality, and sustainable development through materials science. His research has led to the creation of new classes of materials, including MOFs and Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs), with potential applications in areas like extracting water from desert air and capturing carbon dioxide.

Yaghi expressed enthusiasm for his new role at Tsinghua, aiming to advance research and education. Collaboration with other prominent researchers at the university, including computer scientist Yao Qizhi, is anticipated, particularly in areas intersecting AI and materials science.