On October 8, 2025, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced that Omar M. Yaghi, a graduate of Hudson Valley Community College and University at Albany, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He shares the honor with Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University and Richard Robson, an 88‑year‑old chemist now based at the University of Melbourne. The trio was recognized for pioneering “metal‑organic frameworks,” microscopic structures that act like molecular sponges, trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapor in volumes once thought impossible.
From Community College to Global Spotlight
Yaghi’s story reads like a modern American fable. Born in Jordan and raised in Troy, New York, he earned an associate degree at HVCC before transferring to UAlbany, where he completed a bachelor’s in chemistry in 1993. The next step was a Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, followed by a faculty position at University of California, Berkeley. That Berkeley appointment, secured in 2005, gave him the lab space to turn a curiosity about porous crystals into a worldwide research platform.
President Havidan Rodriguez of UAlbany summed it up on the day of the announcement: “Yaghi’s achievement shows how far a great day in education can take you.” The sentiment resonated across the Capital Region, where HVCC proudly displayed a banner titled “HVCC, UAlbany Alum Omar Yaghi Shares 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.”
The Breakthrough: Metal‑Organic Frameworks
Metal‑organic frameworks, or MOFs, are crystalline lattices built from metal ions linked by organic molecules. Imagine a Lego tower where each brick is a tiny cage capable of holding thousands of gas molecules. The “spongy” nature of MOFs lets them adsorb carbon dioxide at a capacity of up to 10 grams per gram of material – a figure that dwarfs traditional amine‑based capture methods.
Three key applications dominate the conversation:
- Carbon capture: Pilot plants in Norway and Texas are already testing MOF‑laden filters to pull CO₂ directly from flue gases.
- Atmospheric water harvesting: In arid regions of the Southwest, MOF‑coated panels can pull up to 2 liters of water per square meter per day, offering a low‑energy alternative to desalination.
- PFAS removal: The same “molecular sponges” bind stubborn per‑ and poly‑fluoroalkyl substances, a class of chemicals linked to cancer and hormonal disruption.
During the award ceremony in Stockholm this December, a Nobel Committee member likened the technology to “a magical handbag from Harry Potter,” noting that the storage capacity seems to defy the laws of physics.
Reactions from Academia and Industry
Colleagues at Berkeley called the prize “a watershed moment for materials chemistry.” Professor Jennifer A. Carmichael, director of the Materials Research Laboratory, said, “Yaghi’s MOFs have turned an elegant laboratory curiosity into a platform that can be scaled for real‑world impact.”
Across the Pacific, Kitagawa’s lab at Kyoto University emphasized the collaborative spirit behind the discovery. “Our work on porous coordination polymers laid the groundwork,” he told reporters, “but it was Yaghi’s vision of tunable pore chemistry that made it a universal tool.”
Robson, the Australian veteran, added a veteran’s perspective: “I never imagined I’d still be publishing at 88, let alone sharing a Nobel. It proves that curiosity never ages.”
Environmental and Economic Implications
From a climate standpoint, widespread deployment of MOFs could cut global CO₂ emissions by up to 1 gigatonne per year, according to a 2025 report from the International Energy Agency. That translates to roughly 2.5 % of the world’s current emissions – a modest slice, but one that could tip the balance in the race to keep warming under 1.5 °C.
Economically, the market for MOF‑based technologies is projected to reach $12 billion by 2030. Companies such as Molexion (a spin‑out from UAlbany’s chemistry department) have already secured Series C funding to commercialize MOF‑enhanced carbon filters for industrial plants.
The technology also promises social benefits. In drought‑stricken communities of New Mexico, NGOs are piloting MOF‑powered water harvesters that could provide up to 15 gallons per household per day, reducing reliance on costly trucking of water.
What Comes Next for the Nobel Trio?
All three laureates have outlined ambitious next steps. Yaghi plans to expand his Berkeley lab’s focus on “dynamic MOFs” that can open and close their pores on command, a feature that could enable targeted drug delivery. Kitagawa will head a new international consortium aimed at standardizing MOF manufacturing processes, addressing a bottleneck that has slowed commercial uptake. Robson, meanwhile, is mentoring a cohort of early‑career scientists in Melbourne, hoping to pass on the “never‑stop‑questioning” mindset that defined his own career.
Meanwhile, HVCC and UAlbany see the award as a recruitment catalyst. Both schools have already reported a spike in applications from students interested in chemistry and materials science, suggesting that the Nobel buzz is already paying dividends for the SUNY system.
Key Facts
- Announcement date: October 8 2025
- Award ceremony: Stockholm, Sweden, December 2025
- Prize recipients: Omar M. Yaghi (Berkeley), Susumu Kitagawa (Kyoto University), Richard Robson (University of Melbourne)
- Breakthrough: Metal‑organic frameworks (MOFs) – “molecular sponges” for gases and water
- Potential impact: Up to 1 Gt CO₂ captured annually; $12 bn market by 2030
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Nobel-winning technology help combat climate change?
Metal‑organic frameworks can capture carbon dioxide directly from industrial exhaust streams or ambient air at rates far exceeding conventional solvents. When deployed at scale, they could remove up to a gigatonne of CO₂ each year, shaving a measurable percentage off global emissions.
What role did Hudson Valley Community College play in Yaghi’s career?
HVCC gave Yaghi his first foothold in higher education, offering a hands‑on chemistry associate program and a transfer pathway to UAlbany. The community‑college experience helped him develop a practical mindset that later proved crucial for turning lab‑scale MOFs into scalable technologies.
Can MOFs be used to clean contaminated water?
Yes. Researchers have demonstrated that MOFs can adsorb PFAS – the so‑called “forever chemicals” – from water sources more efficiently than activated carbon. Pilot projects in New Jersey are already testing MOF‑filled cartridges for municipal water treatment.
What are the next research directions for the Nobel laureates?
Yaghi is exploring “responsive” MOFs that change shape on command for drug delivery, Kitagawa is leading a standards consortium to streamline MOF production, and Robson is mentoring the next generation of coordination‑chemistry scientists in Australia.
When and where will the Nobel ceremony take place?
The formal award ceremony is scheduled for early December 2025 in Stockholm’s City Hall, Sweden. The laureates will also attend a series of public lectures across Europe and the United States later that month.
