- Southface Award of Excellence “In recognition of exemplary leadership and a lifetime of advocacy for energy efficiency.”
- Ivan-Allen College Endowed Professorship, 2008.
- Co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, 2007, for co-authorship of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group III Assessment Report on Mitigation of Climate Change. Also a co-author of the 2001 report.
- Member, National Academies’ Committee on America’s Climate Choices, 2008-2011 (selected from among 1,000 nominations). Co-chair of the “Limiting the Magnitude” Panel.
- Member, Advisory Committee, DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Industrial Technologies Program, 2008-2009.
- Member, National Academies’ Panel on America’s Energy Choices: Energy Efficiency, 2007-2009.
- Member, National Academies’ Board of Energy and Environmental Systems, 2006-2012.
- Member, National Academies’ Committee on Alternatives to the Indian Point Nuclear Plant, 2004-2007).
- Elected to the Policy Council, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, 2006-2009.
- Appointed, National Commission on Energy Policy, 2002-2009, http://www.energycommission.org
- Anderson Medal of Applied Geography, Association of American Geographers, 2003, and 2008 Anderson Medal distinguished lecture, http://agsg.binghamton.edu/aag2008brown1.pdf
- U. S. Department of Energy Awards: (1) DOE Research Partnership Award, presented to the Superconductivity Program for Electric Systems, 3M Coated Conductor Development Project, 2001; and (2) Letter of commendation from Energy Secretary Hazel R. O’Leary for publication of “Weatherization Works,” December 1993.
- “Champion of Energy Efficiency,” American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, 1998.
- Special Government Employee and Member, Board of Scientific Counselors, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection Agency, 1996-2000. Also participated as a number of EPA Review Panels and Subcommittees, 1995-2001.
- Awards from Oak Ridge National Laboratory: (1) co-leading the five-laboratory study titled “Scenarios of U.S. Carbon Reductions,” November 1997, (2) leading the “National Evaluation of DOE’s Weatherization Assistance Program,” July 1993; (3) ORNL Citation for Research Excellence in 1989; (4) Significant Event Award in 1997 for the study “Technology Opportunities to Reduce U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions,” (http://www.ornl.gov/~webworks/cppr/y2003/rpt/110512.pdf), and (5) Small Business Program Advocate Award 2002.
- Corporate Honoree, YWCA Tribute to Women, 1994.
- Award for Distinguished Contribution to “Science Management and Policy Implementation," American Women in Science, May 1992.
- Elected National Councilor of the Association of American Geographers, a 9,000-member organization, 1988-91 (www.aag.org).
- Gold Medal Award issued by the Technology Transfer Society for the best paper published in the 1989-1990 Journal of Technology Transfer. Best Paper Award, The 12th Annual Meeting & International Symposium of the Technology Transfer Society, 1987.
- National Science Foundation: (1) Review Panel Member, Geography and Regional Science Division, 1984-86, and (2) received two grants for research on energy innovation.
- C. C. Huntington Memorial Award, 1976, an award made periodically by The Ohio State University, Department of Geography to "outstanding graduate students."
- University Fellow, The Ohio State University, 1973-77.