The Great Arab Minds Award in Natural Sciences for 2024 has been awarded to Professor Omar Yaghi, a distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Visionary Founder of WaHa (www.wahainc.com) marking another milestone in his groundbreaking career in reticular chemistry.
Professor Yaghi’s pioneering work in Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) has transformed material science, leading to practical applications in water harvesting, carbon capture, and clean energy production. His research has garnered over 250,000 citations, demonstrating its profound impact on the scientific community.
The revolutionary WaHa Vaporator® technology, inspired by Professor Yaghi’s research, represents a significant breakthrough in atmospheric water generation. This innovative system can produce pure drinking water in any climate zone, functioning effectively even at relative humidity levels as low as 10%. The technology operates independently of existing water supplies and can scale from personal to industrial sizes.
In a recent development, WaHa has expanded its reach through strategic partnerships, including a collaboration with Dicode Technologies LLC in the UAE, bringing sustainable water solutions to regions facing critical water scarcity challenges.
The WaHa system employs MOFs that selectively attract water molecules from the air. Through a revolutionary desiccant regeneration engine that regenerates MOFs a very low energy levels produces pure drinking water and very dry air. This technology represents a sustainable solution for water independence, particularly beneficial in arid regions.
Professor Yaghi’s achievements include over 300 research papers and numerous prestigious awards, including the Wolf Prize in Chemistry (2018), the VinFuture Prize (2022), and now the Great Arab Minds Award (2024).
