Omar Farha

Omar Farha is the Chair and Professor of Chemistry at Northwestern University's Department of Chemistry. He holds a courtesy appointment as a Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering. His research focuses on designing and applying metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and porous organic polymers (POPs) for energy, environmental, and national defense applications. Key areas include gas storage, separations, catalysis, water remediation, and detoxification of chemical warfare agents.

Education: Associate of Arts (Fullerton College, 1999); Bachelor of Science (University of California, Los Angeles, 2002); Doctor of Philosophy (University of California, Los Angeles, 2006).

Farha leads the Farha Research Group (MOFia), which explores advanced materials for real-world challenges. His work spans from fundamental material design to applied systems like hydrogen storage, CO₂ capture, and nerve agent detoxification. He is an Executive Editor of ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces and affiliated with the International Institute for Nanotechnology and the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy.

Recent achievements include the 2025 Inorganic Nanoscience Award from the ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry, the 2023 UCLA Alumni Award, and sustained recognition as a Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher (2017–2023). His lab's innovations are advancing commercial applications of MOFs through collaborations and applied research.

Notable research highlights include MOF-based composites for rapid toxin neutralization, humidity-responsive materials for CO₂ capture, and phase-transitional MOFs for plastic degradation. Farha's work bridges academic research and industrial solutions, emphasizing sustainability and global impact.