- Julius Wess Prize: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Jul. 2016
- The Mighty Women of Science: BHP Comics, Jul. 2016
- Most Innovative Women Professors Alive Today: BestMastersDegree.com, Jan. 2016
- The Walker Prize: Boston Museum of Science, Sep. 2015
- Leading the Way - Six Outstanding Women of Queens: Queens Historical Society, Sep. 2015
- Andrew Gemant Award: American Institute of Physics, Apr. 2013
- Scientist of the Year: Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations, Mar. 2013
- Member: European Academy of Sciences and Arts, Jul. 2012
- Harvard's Great Teachers: Harvard University, Mar. 2012
- National Award of Nuclear Science and History: National Museum of Nuclear Science and History, Mar. 2012
- Honorary Fellow: Institute of Physics (IOP), London, 2016
- Member: American Philosophical Society, Apr. 2010–present
- Erna Hamburger Prize 2010: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne WISH Foundation, Mar. 2010
- Radcliffe Fellowship Award: Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Jun. 2009
- Honorary Citizenship: Padova, Italy, May 2009
- Benjamin Franklin Creativity Laureate Award: Creativity Foundation, Apr. 2009
- Honorary Member: Royal Irish Academy, (MRIA), Mar. 2009–present
- The 75 Most Influential People of the 20th Century: Esquire Magazine, Sept. 2008
- Golden Plate Recipient: American Academy of Achievement, Jul. 2008
- Member: National Academy of Sciences, May 2008
- Elizabeth A. Wood Award: American Crystallographic Association, Jul. 2007
- 100 Most Influential People: Time Magazine, May 2007
- Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize: American Physical Society, Apr. 2007
- The Harvard 100: The Most Influential Alumni: 02138 Magazine, Sept. 2006
- Klopsteg Award: American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), 2006
- Whitewater Award for Distinguished Scholarship: University of Wisconsin, 2006
- Who's Next in 2006: Newsweek, Dec. 2005
- 100 Notable Books of the Year: The New York Times- Knocking on Heaven's Door: How Physics and Scientific Thinking Illuminate the Universe and the Modern World, Nov. 2011
- 100 Notable Books of the Year: The New York Times-Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe’s Hidden Dimensions, Dec. 2005
- Editor's Picks, Top Ten in Science: Amazon.com, Dec. 2005
- Fellow: American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS), 2004-present
- Fellow: American Physical Society (APS), 2003
- Premio Caterina Tomassoni e Felice Pietro Chisesi: University of Rome, La Sapienza, First Recipient, Apr. 2003
- Research Fellowship: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, 1992–1995
- Outstanding Junior Investigator Award: Department of Energy, 1992–1995
- Young Investigator Award: National Science Foundation, 1992–1995
- Graduate Research Fellowship for Women: Bell Labs, 1984
- David J. Robbins Prize: Harvard, 1983
- Phi Beta Kappa: Harvard, 1983
- John Harvard Scholarship: Harvard, 1982
- Radcliffe Scholar: Radcliffe, 1981
- Elizabeth Cary Agassiz Scholar: Harvard, 1980
- Winner: Westinghouse Science Talent Search, 1980