Dan Shechtman

Awards & Honours

Awards Won

Honours

Records

Dan Shechtman's discovery of quasicrystals earned him the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, a fitting tribute to a finding that was once dismissed as impossible. His persistence in the face of ridicule from the scientific establishment, including Linus Pauling, demonstrates the importance of trusting empirical evidence. Shechtman's work has not only advanced crystallography but also led to practical applications in everyday products. He stands as a model for scientists who challenge conventional wisdom, and his legacy continues to inspire new generations of researchers.

AwardsDan Shechtman's most prestigious award is the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, which he received for the discovery of quasicrystals. This honor recognized his groundbreaking work that overturned long-held beliefs in crystallography. He has also received various academic honors and positions, including the Philip Tobias Professorship at the Technion and affiliation with the Ames National Laboratory. His awards reflect his significant contributions to materials science.

Honours & Distinctions

Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences·2011

Awarded for the discovery of quasicrystals.

Philip Tobias Professor of Materials Science

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Distinguished professorship at the Technion.

Distinguished Professor Emeritus

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology·2021

Honorary title for his contributions to the university.

Records & Feats

First to observe quasicrystals with icosahedral symmetry

Historic First·1982

In 1982, Shechtman's electron microscope observation of a ten-fold diffraction pattern in an aluminum-manganese alloy was the first evidence of quasicrystals, a class of materials previously thought impossible.