Hideki Shirakawa

Awards & Honours

Awards Won

Honours

Records

Shirakawa's Nobel Prize in 2000 stands as a landmark in materials science, recognizing work that turned an accidental observation into a transformative field. His discovery of conductive polymers has enabled technologies that touch everyday life, from flexible screens to solar cells. The honor reflects not only his scientific insight but also his collaborative spirit with MacDiarmid and Heeger. His legacy continues through educational outreach and the ongoing research inspired by his work.

AwardsShirakawa received the 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the highest honor in his field, for the discovery and development of conductive polymers. He also received the University of Pennsylvania Medal for Distinguished Achievement in 2017 and an honorary professorship from Science Tokyo.

Honours & Distinctions

Professor Emeritus

University of Tsukuba

Honorary title upon retirement

Honorary Professor

Zhejiang University

Honorary appointment

Honorary Professor

Science Tokyo·2025

Awarded in recognition of distinguished career

Records & Feats

First to demonstrate that a polymer can be made conductive by doping

Scientific Breakthrough·1977

Showed that iodine-doped polyacetylene conducts electricity, increasing conductivity by over a billion times.