Rabat – Moroccan scientist Mohamed Eddaoudi has been recognized with the prestigious 2023 Kuwait Prize for his outstanding contributions to the field of chemistry.
Eddaoudi currently serves as a professor at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia.
Established in 1979, the Kuwait Prize is an annual accolade that celebrates the lifetime achievements of Arab scientists across various academic disciplines.
A press release by KAUST said that Eddaoudi won in the category of basic sciences in the field of chemistry for his “leadership in conceiving design strategies for the synthesis of functional solid-state materials and their subsequent deployment in various energy and environment sustainability applications.”
Eddaoudi’s research at KAUST focuses on the development and synthesis of novel functional solid-state materials, notably metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), for different chemical applications. This includes gas separations, catalysis, energy storage, and carbon capture.
These innovative materials are crafted through molecular and supramolecular building block approaches, added the statement.
Eddaoudi was born and raised in Morocco, where he earned his bachelor’s degree at the Ibn Zohr University in Agadir. He continued his graduate studies in France at Denis Diderot University, where he earned his master’s and doctorate degrees.
He then moved to the United States, where he established his academic career at several universities and eventually became a full professor at the University of South Florida.
He joined KAUST as a founding faculty member in 2009 and was promoted to distinguished professor in 2016.
The university noted that Eddaoudi shares the award with three other researchers, but he is the only one among them who works at an Arab institute.
Expressing his honor to receive the prize, Eddaoudi was quoted in the statement saying, “this award recognizes not just me, but the many people who mentored me and the many people who have come through my lab and achieved excellent science.”
Meanwhile, KAUST Vice President of Research Pierre Magistretti said, “we are extremely proud of his hard work. This prize not only exemplifies the great work by Prof. Eddaoudi, but it is also a testament to KAUST’s position globally in science and in the Arab world for excellence.”
