*Irving Langmuir Prize in Chemical Physics, American Physical Society, 1991
*Popular Science Magazine Grand Award in Science & Technology, 1991
*APS International Prize for New Materials, 1992 (Joint with R. F. Curl & H. W. Kroto)
*Ernest O. Lawrence Memorial Award, U.S. Department of Energy, 1992
*Welch Award in Chemistry, Robert A. Welch Foundation, 1992
*Auburn-G.M. Kosolapoff Award, Auburn Section, American Chemical Society, 1992
*Southwest Regional Award, American Chemical Society, 1992
*William H. Nichols Medal, New York Section, American Chemical Society, 1993
*The John Scott Award, City of Philadelphia, 1993
*Hewlett-Packard Europhysics Prize, European Physical Society, 1994 (with Wolfgang Kraetschmer, Don Huffman and Harold Kroto)
*Harrison Howe Award, Rochester Section, American Chemical Society, 1994
*Madison Marshall Award, North Alabama Section, American Chemical Society, 1995
*Franklin Medal, The Franklin Institute, 1996
*Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, 1996
*Distinguished Civilian Public Service Award, Department of the Navy, 1997
*American Carbon Society Medal, 1997
*Top 75 Distinguished Contributors, Chemical & Engineering News, 1998
*Lifetime Achievement Award, Small Times Magazine, 2003
*Glenn T. Seaborg Medal, University of California at Los Angeles, 2002
*Distinguished Alumni Award, Hope College, 2005
*50th Anniversary Visionary Award, SPIE – International Society for Optical Engineering, 2005
* National Historic Chemical Landmark, American Chemical Society, 2010
* Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Award, Division of History of Chemistry, American Chemical Society, 2015