Professor Van Duyne discovered surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), invented nanosphere lithography (NSL), and developed ultrasensitive nanosensors based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) spectroscopy. His research interests include SERS, LSPR spectroscopy, plasmonics, nanoscale biosensors, atomic layer deposition (ALD), ultra-high vacuum tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (UHV-TERS), electrochemical tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (EC-TERS) and surface-enhanced femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (SE-FSRS). He has been elected a Fellow/Member of the National Academy of Sciences, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Society of Applied Spectroscopy (SAS), American Physical Society (APS), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

He has been recognized for his accomplishments with the Spiers Memorial Award, Royal Society of Chemistry, Faraday Division (2017); Election to the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers (2016); Theophilus Redwood Award, Royal Society of Chemistry (2015); E. Bright Wilson Award in Spectroscopy, American Chemical Society (2014); Thomson Reuters List of Highly Cited Researchers (2014, 2015, 2016); Charles Mann Award in Applied Raman Spectroscopy, Society of Applied Spectroscopy (2014); Sir George Stokes Award, Royal Society of Chemistry (2013); Honorary Member, Society of Applied Spectroscopy (2013); Thomson Reuters list of top 100 chemists over the period 2000-2010 as ranked by the impact of their published research (2011); Charles N. Reilley Award, Society for Electroanalytical Chemistry (2011); Election to the US National Academy of Sciences (2010); Analytical Chemistry Award, American Chemical Society, (2010); Bomem-Michelson Award, Coblentz Society (2010); Ellis R. Lippincott Award, Optical Society of America (2008); L’Oreal Art and Science of Color Prize (2006); Nobel Laureate Signature Award for Graduate Education, American Chemical Society

(2005); Election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2004); The Earle K. Plyler Prize for Molecular Spectroscopy, American Physical Society (2004); Excellence in Surface Science Award of the Surfaces in Biomaterials Foundation (1996); Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award (1991),; National Fresenius Award, American Chemical Society (1981); and the Coblentz Memorial Prize in Molecular Spectroscopy (1980). He is also a fellow of the Society of Applied Spectroscopy (2013), Royal Society of Chemistry (2013), American Physical Society (1985), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1983). Van Duyne received his B.S. degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1967) and a PhD. degree in analytical chemistry from the University of North Carolina (1971).