| 2018 | Linus Pauling Medal Award |
| 2018 | Priestley Medal, American Chemical Society |
| 2018 | MHS Wall of Fame, Manhattan High School, Manhattan, Kansas |
| 2017 | Howard Vollum Award for Distinguished Achievement in Science and Technology, Reed College |
| 2017 | Honorary Doctorate Degree, Kansas State University |
| 2017 | Honorary Doctorate Degree, Illinois Institute of Technology |
| 2016- | Secretary, American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Member of the Board, Council and Trust |
| 2015- | U.S. State Department Science Envoy for the Lower Mekong River Countries |
| 2015/16 | President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) |
| 2014 | Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award, Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh |
| 2013 | National Medal of Science (awarded in 2016) |
| 2013 | Davisson-Germer Prize for Atomic or Surface Physics, American Physical Society |
| 2013 | Charles L. Parsons Award, American Chemical Society (ACS) |
| 2011 | National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Member |
| 2011 | American Chemical Society Fellow |
| 2011 | Joel Henry Hildebrand Award in the Theoretical and Experimental Chemistry of Liquids (ACS) |
| 2009 | Society for Applied Spectroscopy Honorary Membership Award |
| 2009 | International Women’s Forum, Invited Member |
| 2008 | Bomem-Michelson Award, Coblenz Society |
| 2008 | Association for Women in Science (AWIS) Fellow |
| 2008 | Society for Applied Spectroscopy Fellow |
| 2007 | John S. Guggenheim Fellowship |
| 2006 | American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Elected Fellow |
| 2006 | Council on Chemical Research Diversity Award |
| 2005 | Award for Encouraging Women in the Chemical Sciences, American Chemical Society |
| 2004 | Spiers Medal, Faraday Division, Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), Faraday Division |
| 2004 | American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Fellow |
| 2002 | Spectrochemical Analysis Award, American Chemical Society |
| 2001 | Oregon Outstanding Scientist Award, Oregon Academy of Science |
| 2001 | ADVANCE Leadership Award, National Science Foundation |
| 2000 | Research Creativity Award, National Science Foundation |
| 1998 | Soroptomist International, Women Helping Women Award |
| 1997 | Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Engineering Mentoring, White House |
| 1997 | College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Award, Kansas State University |
| 1996 | Francis P. Garvan Medal of the American Chemical Society |
| 1993 | Agnes Faye Morgan Research Award (Iota Sigma Pi Honorary Society) |
| 1993 | American Physical Society Fellow |
| 1991 | Faculty Award for Women Scientists and Engineers, National Science Foundation |
| 1991 | Research Creativity Award, National Science Foundation |
| 1989 | Coblentz Society Spectroscopy Award |
| 1986 | Chemistry Department Alumni Award, Kansas State University |
| 1986 | Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award |
| 1985 | Presidential Young Investigator Award, National Science Foundation |
| 1985 | Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow |
| 1982 | Rosalyn Schwartz Award, Bryn Mawr College |
| 1983 | Junior Faculty Research Award, Bryn Mawr College |
| 1977 | Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UC Berkeley |