Nobel Prize Laureate Omar Yaghi at the University of Bologna: “Science Is an Equalizing Force”
From the importance of a global vision for scientific research to studies on extracting water from air, one of the leading figures in contemporary chemistry will address the challenges of climate, energy and resource scarcity for a sustainable planet
Omar Yaghi, recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, will visit the University of Bologna on Thursday, 28 May, for a day dedicated to the importance of a global vision for scientific discovery and to the new frontiers of chemistry. At the heart of the event will be some of the major challenges of our time, from the climate crisis to energy and resource scarcity, with a focus on building a sustainable planet.
Among the most influential figures in global scientific research, Professor Yaghi has described science as “an equalizing force”: a universal language capable of bringing together the international community.
During the morning lecture, titled A Global Mind for Discovery – scheduled to take place at 11:00 a.m. in the Aula Magna of the University Library of Bologna (Via Zamboni 35) and aimed at upper secondary school students – he will explore the value of open, global research oriented towards social impact.
In the afternoon workshop, Precision Chemistry for a Sustainable Planet - held at 3:00 p.m. in the Aula Magna of the Navile Campus (Via della Beverara 123/2) - he will meet with the scientific community to discuss the role of precision chemistry in addressing challenges related to water, energy and climate.
Professor Yaghi is internationally recognised for founding reticular chemistry, an approach that enables the design of new crystalline materials, such as MOFs (Metal-Organic Frameworks), with unprecedented precision at the nanometre scale (one billionth of a metre). These “molecular sponges” can capture and store greenhouse gases or extracting drinking water from the air, opening up new possibilities for access to essential resources.
His personal and professional journey also highlights the role of research as a tool for growth and opportunity. Born in Jordan to a family of Palestinian refugees and raised in a refugee camp in Amman, he moved to the United States at the age of 15. Today, he is Professor at the University of California, Berkeley and one of the most highly cited chemists in the world.
In 2025, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with Susumu Kitagawa and Richard Robson. His connection with Italy is reflected in the 2024 Balzan Prize, presented by Sergio Mattarella, and in his election as a foreign member of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei in 2025.
He also directs the Berkeley Global Science Institute, which is committed to establishing research centres in developing countries and training new scientific talent worldwide.
The initiative is organised through the collaboration of the Departments of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, Pharmacy and Biotechnology, and Agricultural and Food Sciences.
