1968 Diesel Gold Medal, presented by the German Inventors Association (Deutscher Erfinderverband) for discovery of the semiconductor switching effect in disordered and amorphous materials
1983 Induction into the Michigan Chemical Engineering Hall of Fame
1985 Fellow, American Physical Society, presented for contributions to understanding and applications of amorphous electronic materials and devices
1987 Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
1988 Coors American Ingenuity Award, presented for work in amorphous materials, particular photovoltaics
1991 Inducted into Coors American Ingenuity Hall of Fame
1991 Toyota Award for Advancement, presented for Ovonic nickel-metal hydride batteries for electric vehicles
1992 Honorary member, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local Lodge PM2848
1993 Corporate Detroiter of the Year, Corporate Detroit magazine
1999 Named as one of the “Heroes for the Planet” by Time magazine
1999 Karl W. Böer Solar Energy Medal of Merit, awarded jointly by the University of Delaware and the International Solar Energy Society
2000 International Association for Hydrogen Energy Sir William Grove Award
2000 (with Iris Ovshinsky) “Heroes of Chemistry,” presented by the American Chemical Society
2004 Hoyt Clarke Hottel Award of the American Solar Energy Society
2005 Innovation Award for Energy and the Environment, presented by The Economist
2005 Induction into US Solar Hall of Fame
2006 Frederick Douglass / Eugene V. Debs Award
2007 Walston Chubb Award for Innovation, presented by Sigma Xi, the Research Society
2008 Engineering Society of Detroit Lifetime Achievement Award
2008 Environmental Hall of Fame Award, Solar Thin Film Category, Father of Thin-Film Solar Energy
2009 IEEE Vehicular Technology Society Presidential Citation, in recognition of a long and outstanding record of pioneering accomplishments and service to the profession
2009 Thomas Midgley Award, presented by the Detroit Section of the American Chemical Society
2012 Finalist for European Inventor Award, presented by the European Patent Office for development of NiMH batteries
2012 Honorary Calgarian award, presented by the Louis Riel School in Calgary, Canada
2015 Posthumous induction into National Inventors Hall of Fame, for invention of nickel metal hydride battery
1980 Science—Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, Michigan
1981 Engineering—Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio
1989 Science—Jordan College, Cedar Springs, Michigan
2007 Science—Kean University, Union, New Jersey
2008 Science—New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, New York
2009 Science—Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
2009 Engineering—Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
2009 Engineering—Ovidius University, Constanţa, Romania
2010 Engineering—Kettering University, Flint, Michigan
2010 Science—University of Michigan, Ann Arbor