Irvine, CA, July 15, 2026 — The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, awarded for the development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), brought global attention to reticular materials and the transformative potential of designing matter at the molecular level. Building on that momentum, and following the enthusiastic reception of the Reticular Science Prize across the international research community, the Selection Committee, Nobel Laureate Prof. Omar Yaghi - the President of the Prize and founder of Atoco - and Atoco, Inc. are pleased to announce a new addition to the prize family: the Reticular Science Prize for Emerging Scholars and Innovators.
The new prize is dedicated to the next generation of scientists and engineers who will carry the field forward. Awarded biennially and alternating with the main Reticular Science Prize, it is open to researchers with ten years or less of post-doctoral experience and recognizes outstanding early-career contributions to the science, engineering, computing, and artificial intelligence of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), and related organic and inorganic solid materials.
The inaugural award will be presented at EuroMOF 2027, where the recipient will have the opportunity to share their work with the international reticular chemistry community. Each recipient of the Reticular Science Prize for Emerging Scholars and Innovators will receive a silver medal, a monetary award of US$2,500, and a certificate signed by the Prize management and selection committee members. The award will also include a dinner with Professor Omar Yaghi, President of the Prize, alongside present members of the selection committee and Atoco's management team.
"Reticular chemistry is a field built on bold thinking and the courage to reimagine how matter can be designed at the molecular level," said Nobel laureate Professor Omar Yaghi, founder of the field of reticular chemistry and President of the Reticular Science Prize. "This new prize is our commitment to the next generation — to young scientists who will take these ideas further than we can yet imagine."
Nominations will be evaluated on the basis of originality, impact, and innovation, with particular emphasis on contributions made in the past seven years. The deadline for submitting nominations is October 1, 2026.
The Selection Committee includes:
Professor Laura Gagliardi (Chair)
Richard and Kathy Leventhal Professor, Department of Chemistry, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, James Franck Institute University of Chicago
Professor Seth Cohen
Distinguished Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chancellor's Distinguished Professorship in Chemistry and Biochemistry, Affiliate Faculty, Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego
Professor Andrew Goodwin
Professor of Materials Chemistry, Associate Head of Department (Research), Oxford University
Professor Lars Öhrström
Full Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
Professor Vivian Wing-Wah YAM
Professor of Chemistry, Philip Wong Wilson Wong Professor in Chemistry and Energy, University of Hong Kong
For further details, including nomination requirements and submission instructions, please visit atoco.com/reticular-science-prize . For further inquiries, contact the secretariat at reticularscienceprize@atoco.com .
About Atoco
Founded in 2020 by Nobel Laureate Prof. Omar Yaghi, Atoco is a deep-tech and climate-tech company that is tackling climate change by offering resilient, sustainable, and transformative solutions designed with atomic precision. The company utilizes latest advancements and breakthroughs in molecularly engineered reticular materials to design and develop solutions for atmospheric water harvesting and CO₂ capture. With these innovations, Atoco seeks to address two critical challenges facing our planet: water scarcity and carbon emissions. Atoco’s primary laboratories and manufacturing facility are located in Irvine, California.
Visit Atoco’s website for more information: https://atoco.com/